Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe

by Carl Safina

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Book Overview: Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe

When ecologist Carl Safina and his wife, Patricia, took in a near-death baby owl, they expected that, like other wild orphans they’d rescued, she’d be a temporary presence. But Alfie’s feathers were not growing correctly, requiring prolonged care. As Alfie grew and gained strength, she became a part of the family, joining a menagerie of dogs and chickens and making a home for herself in the backyard. Carl and Patricia began to realize that the healing was mutual; Alfie had been braided into their world, and was now pulling them into hers.

Alfie & Me is the story of the remarkable impact this little owl would have on their lives. The continuing bond of trust following her freedom–and her raising of her own wild brood–coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, a year in which Carl and Patricia were forced to spend time at home without the normal obligations of work and travel. Witnessing all the fine details of their feathered friend’s life offered Carl and Patricia a view of existence from Alfie’s perspective.

One can travel the world and go nowhere; one can be stuck keeping the faith at home and discover a new world. Safina’s relationship with an owl made him want to better understand how people have viewed humanity’s relationship with nature across cultures and throughout history. Interwoven with Safina’s keen observations, insight, and reflections, Alfie & Me is a work of profound beauties and magical timing harbored within one upended year.

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Editorial Reviews

The rescue of a little screech owl brings Carl Safina the unexpected joy of companionship and propagation of the species, leading him to philosophize about humanity and how much we’re part of nature. A delightful read!–Frans de Waal, author of Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist

This is a book about a foundling owl, and infinitely more. As it turns out, the universe and all its mysteries, our relationship with our wild kin and a better future for ourselves and the planet–all are reflected through the prism of an eight-inch ball of feathers named Alfie. Carl Safina has never been more eloquent, or more urgent. Alfie & Me is masterful.–Scott Weidensaul, author of A World on the Wing: The Global Odyssey of Migratory Birds

Carl Safina has written a book of great wisdom and beauty, full of drama and insight. How right to choose an owl, symbol of learning, to help us see anew the twinned truths of compassion and connection–gifts our kind desperately needs to keep our world alive.–Sy Montgomery, author of The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness

Little Alfie unleashed a meditation about life itself and how our culture has shaped our way of seeing the world and our place in it. A unique book that is scientific and spiritual at the same time.–Isabella Rossellini

An award-winning ecologist examines his transformative connection to a bird…. As Safina lyrically recounts his observations of and interactions with Alfie, he reflects on spirituality, reverence, and the contrast between Indigenous, traditional Asian, and Western ways of being and knowing…. A fervent homage to a dynamic, interdependent universe.–Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Moving…. Philosophical musings on humanity’s beliefs about nature add intellectual rigor to the heartwarming story…. Stirring and ruminative.–Publishers Weekly, starred review

A wonderfully intimate account…. Interwoven with Safina’s broad experience with other cultures’ views on animals and the world and of how they related to Alfie’s life, and richly illustrated with photographs, this a beautifully illuminating work of up-close natural history.–Booklist, starred review

About the Author

Carl Safina

Carl Safina is a renowned American marine conservationist, author, and endowed professor at Stony Brook University. He has co-founded many organizations dedicated to ocean health and marine species preservation, including the Blue Ocean Institute, reflecting his commitment to conservation. With a Ph.D. in Ecology from Rutgers University, Safina has made immense contributions to the field of marine ecology and played a pivotal role in global initiatives to protect marine life.

As an author, Safina has earned high acclaim for his beautifully written and deeply insightful books about the natural world. His works, which span genres from nonfiction to children’s books, blend rigorous scientific study with a touching sense of wonder about Earth’s diverse life forms. Safina’s books such as “Song for the Blue Ocean” and “The Eye of the Albatross” have garnered him prestigious awards, including the Orion Book Award and the Lannan Literary Award.

Beyond academia and writing, Safina is an active participant in popular discourse about the environment. He frequently contributes to The New York Times, National Geographic, and other globally recognized publications, using these platforms to advocate for ocean health and biodiversity. With his academic background, literary talent, and commitment to conservation, Carl Safina continues to make lasting contributions to ecological science and our understanding of the natural world.