金石堂◆這是詮釋愛與忠誠的一堂生命教育課。一隻長羽毛的動物竟能讓人大笑，又不禁潸然落淚！
我有一個45公分高的情人。
我是他生命中的唯一伴侶。
他總是大聲對我示愛，還為我修築過上百個鳥巢。
他對我無保留的付出，也要我答應的事一定得做到。
愛與忠誠是一輩子的事，這就是衛斯理教我的「貓頭鷹之道」。
◆繼勞倫茲、珍古德之後，最真摯感人的動物故事！
◆亞馬遜書店、紐約時報、洛杉磯時報暢銷書！
◆《時人》與《奧杜邦》保育雜誌編輯推薦！
年輕的生物學家史黛西收養了一隻倉鴞寶寶，喚名「衛斯理」。她以一顆愛心和一雙科學家的眼睛，忠實記錄這種貓頭鷹獨特的習性和行為，更寫下人與動物之間的莞爾趣事和深刻情誼。
衛斯理從一團無助的小毛球，漸漸長成英氣勃勃的貓頭鷹，有著金白相間的美麗羽毛，以及一張教人驚喜的白色心形臉龐。
衛斯理總是踏著笨拙滑稽的腳步，亦步亦趨跟著史黛西到處走。
衛斯理對任何事物總是啁啾不休地發表意見。至於人類的指令，他只當作參考。不高興時，則是自己去面壁生悶氣。
衛斯理跌破科學家的眼鏡，居然熱愛洗臉和玩水，還自創貓頭鷹的泡澡法。
衛斯理是非分明，絕不容忍說謊和失約，總是要求說到就要做到。
衛斯理對史黛西忠心耿耿，甚至有強烈的保護欲。他一再趕走史黛西的追求者，還把她的新髮型當成怪物加以攻擊！
衛斯理視史黛西為伴侶，不但熱情地餵她吃老鼠，每每用震耳欲聾的聲音示愛，還精心修築過上百個鳥巢獻給她。
史黛西後來生了一場大病，意志消沉，沒想到當初蒙她所救的貓頭鷹寶寶，反過來以堅定的愛鼓舞了她的求生意志。
十九年不離不棄的歲月，不只是一段題材特殊的動物故事，更是一堂詮釋愛與忠誠的生命教育課。
★本書中譯本《我的貓頭鷹寶貝》由先覺出版。
On Valentine's Day 1985, biologist Stacey O'Brien first met a four-day-old baby barn owl -- a fateful encounter that would turn into an astonishing 19-year saga. With nerve damage in one wing, the owlet's ability to fly was forever compromised, and he had no hope of surviving on his own in the wild. O'Brien, a young assistant in the owl laboratory at Caltech, was immediately smitten, promising to care for the helpless owlet and give him a permanent home. Wesley the Owl is the funny, poignant story of their dramatic two decades together.
With both a tender heart and a scientist's eye, O'Brien studied Wesley's strange habits intensively and first-hand -- and provided a mice-only diet that required her to buy the rodents in bulk (28,000 over the owl's lifetime). As Wesley grew, she snapped photos of him at every stage like any proud parent, recording his life from a helpless ball of fuzz to a playful, clumsy adolescent to a gorgeous, gold-and-white, macho adult owl with a heart-shaped face and an outsize personality that belied his 18-inch stature. Stacey and Wesley's bond deepened as she discovered Wesley's individual personality, subtle emotions, and playful nature that could also turn fiercely loyal and protective -- though she could have done without Wesley's driving away her would-be human suitors!
O'Brien also brings us inside the prestigious research community, a kind of scientific Hogwarts where resident owls sometimes flew freely from office to office and eccentric, brilliant scientists were extraordinarily committed to studying and helping animals; all of them were changed by the animal they loved. As O'Brien gets close to Wesley, she makes important discoveries about owl behavior, intelligence, and communication, coining the term "The Way of the Owl" to describe his inclinations: he did not tolerate lies, held her to her promises, and provided unconditional love, though he was not beyond an occasional sulk. When O'Brien develops her own life-threatening illness, the biologist who saved the life of a helpless baby bird is herself rescued from death by the insistent love and courage of this wild animal.
Enhanced by wonderful photos, Wesley the Owl is a thoroughly engaging, heartwarming, often funny story of a complex, emotional, non-human being capable of reason, play, and, most important, love and loyalty. It is sure to be cherished by animal lovers everywhere.
作者簡介
史黛西．歐布萊恩（Stacey O'Brien）
受過生物學家的訓練，專精野生動物的行為。她在西方學院取得生物學的理學士學位，後來進入加州理工學院進修。目前是野生動物救援人員暨護育專家，負責照料各種美國本土動物，包括瀕臨絕種的褐鵜鶘、貓頭鷹、海鳥、袋貂和鳴禽。目前住在加州。
Stacey O'Brien is trained as a biologist specializing in wild-animal behavior. She graduated from Occidental College with a BS in biology and continued her education at Caltech. Stacey now works as a wildlife rescuer and rehabilitation expert with a variety of local animals, including the endangered brown pelican, owls, seabirds, possums, and songbirds. She lives in Southern California.
