Owls have existed for over sixty million years, and in the relatively
short time we have shared the planet with these majestic birds they have
ignited the human imagination. But even as owls continue to captivate
our collective consciousness, celebrated British nature writer Miriam
Darlington finds herself struck by all she doesn't know about the true
nature of these enigmatic creatures.
Darlington begins her fieldwork in the British Isles with her teenage
son, Benji. As her avian fascination grows, she travels to France,
Serbia, Spain, Finland, and the frosted Lapland borders of the Arctic
for rare encounters with the Barn Owl, Tawny Owl, Long-eared Owl, Pygmy
Owl, Snowy Owl, and more. But when her son develops a mysterious
illness, her quest to understand the elusive nature of owls becomes
entangled with her search for finding a cure.
In The Wise Hours, Darlington watches and listens to the natural world
and to the rhythms of her home and family, inviting readers to discover
the wonders of owls alongside her while rewilding our imagination with
the mystery, fragility, and magnificence of all creatures.