This remarkable look at a bond between a human and an owl is soul-stirring, sweet and funny. It's not meant to be a treatise on the ultimate facts on barn owl behavior, as the author understood that the bird imprinting on a human would modify its own interactions with humans and its behavior. It has some fascinating looks at the quirks of scientists, however, and its facts on owlish behaviors jibe with what was known at the time. It may not be scientific, but birds do have personalities and they do show embarrassment, as anyone who has interacted with animals enough knows. I did not find it mawkish or excessive, but rather, sweet, funny and, inevitably, sad as all partings are when a human outlives an animal that has been bonded to him or her. I recommend the book to any animal lover.