Two Owls at Eton

by Jonathan Franklin

When Jonathan Franklin takes two baby tawny owls back to Eton, he has no idea how chaotic the following months will be. The birds show no respect for Etonian routine and tradition. They trash his room and rule his daily life, and are known throughout the school as "Dum" and "Dee". Although a keen naturalist, Jonathan struggles to understand his charges and to find the right food for them; at first meat and feathers, soon mice and rats. Even so, they nearly die of malnutrition on two occasions. Frantic, he searches for natural food. How to keep them alive is a constant worry. He watches them grow from ugly balls of fluff into beautiful adults, every change of plumage and behavior noted. They play truant, they shock others, and lead Jonathan into hilarious adventures. They charm his housemaster and everybody who meets them. Best of all is seeing them flying about over those famous playing fields. All the time, Jonathan works to train them for eventual return to the wild. Will that be possible? He is never sure whether he will succeed. Now updated by the author to tell the end of this extraordinary story, Two Owls at Eton—very British, very witty, yet always close to the rawness of the natural world—is a story to delight everyone—whether they ever trod those playing fields, or have never wished to set eyes on the place.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Memoir, Nature

244 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwarming and charming. Animal lovers will fall in love with Dee and Dum, find humor in their antics and struggles learning how to survive in an unexpected way. At a young boy, our author and narrator, as he learns whatever he could about how to raise two orphan owls, young enough that their eyes are still unopened. He gets permission to take them back to school with him, and it is at Eton that becomes a true parent to two baby owls. There is much humor, some scary moments when he confronts bumps in the road in their upkeep and admiration for all he does accomplish.

I've read so many books lately about mans lack of caring of anything to do in nature, that it was a joy to read one about the exact opposite. As Dee and Dum grow, so does the young boy, both in different and special ways.

Thanks to my book friend, Chrissie, she read it first and loved it. I had a feeling I would love it too, and heartily agree with her recommendation.

[Chrissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two Owls At Eton is delightful. It is an absolutely wonderful book. Short but perfect.

Can one classify a short book as amazing? Heck, why not?! There is not one thing that could have been done better.

It informs readers about tawny owls. The information provided is clear, concise and every bit interesting.

The book is humorous.

It is heart-warming.

It points out that although one comes to love these two little owls, the last thing a reader should do is to try and catch one, tame one, turn one into a pet. The author rightly returned the pair back to the wild. Owls are wild creatures and should remain so.

It is made perfectly clear that even if Dee and Dum, the two owls of this book, look cute and their behavior is often utterly adorable, in other ways they are disgusting, foul little beasts. An accurate, true picture of the fowl is drawn.

The author speaks of his experience of raising two owls. In April 1959 they were brought to him. They were a mere three weeks old and ugly as sin. Caring for them was no cup of tea! He is sixteen and off to Eaton. Amazingly enough he was allowed to take them. The book provides also a marvelous peephole into student life at Eton, the boy’s home and his family. The book came out in print in 1960 and was a hit from the start.

The author reads the audiobook. His narration is marvelous. It simply could not have been better. I loved the narration just as I loved the book.

This book is special. It is very well written. The antics of these two little birds pull at your heart! You cannot help but smile and laugh. One example will have to do--a beetle turns around and attacks Dee! Help! A battle and a flurry of feathers erupt. The reader sees this before their eyes. If you at this point are not laughing, you have no soul, no heart, you are dead!

This book is utterly marvelous, even if it is short! Grab it. Don’t hesitate. You’re going to love it!

I read Wesley the Owl: The Remarkable Love Story of an Owl and His Girl by Stacey O'Brien ages ago. I fell in love with it. Now I am thinking Two Owls At Eton is even better! Both are five star books. Both are about owls and the relationships that can develop between them and people.

[Lizzy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't particularly "an engaging, haunting memoir of nature and youth"
Yes it was engaging, but it really was about how to raise a pair of owls, and their different personalities. I wasn't haunted and it wasn't really about youth either.
Still, a nice read, will be passing it on.

[Kristi Langli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I suddenly feel a great need to protect all the owls!

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute book, with decent writing. Worth the small price paid, but didn't find it particularly outstanding.

[Tuesdayschild · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*
a charming memoir about Jonathan’s life with two rescued owls, Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee. I love real-life stories about owls and this one hits all the right notes: an informative read about two engaging birds and their often humorous interactions with humans. My family would have loved this as a read aloud during the children’s younger years – "Owls in the Family ~ Farley Mowat" was a resounding hit back then.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charmingest of books and a record of one boy's devotion to raising two abandoned baby owls. The care with which he writes of them and of all the milestones in their young lives is touching--he was only a boy himself when he wrote this book.

[Cynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice engaging story, narrated by the author, which both adds and detracts from the story. It is his story, so the emotional connection is there, and you can hear it in many parts. On the other hand, professional narrators are usually more pleasant to listen to.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3* for the story + 1* for the cute owl illustrations :)

The story is very basic and short (took just over an hour): in the late 1950s, a boy at Eton brings back to school with him two owlets that have been abandoned. This is a very straightforward recounting of what happened with the owls, in not particularly scintilltaing prose. It's told from his naturalist perspective, no deeper insights about life or nature or Eton to be gleaned. Whatever humour there is derives from the owls' antics and not the writing.

Nevertheless, it was worth a quick read, and as I said, the illustrations were cute and the photos at the end were a nice bonus.

[Kerry-Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this fascinating and wonderful book! Beautifully written with the most delightful sense of humour! I loved how the author wove fact into his telling of this remarkable story, without the book becoming an encyclopaedia about owls 🦉. I fell in love with the author and Dee and Dum and wanted the book to go on forever!

[Rachel (Sfogs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book!
The antics these two little owls got up to was hilarious!

[KP · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like the way that the owls developed, including their personalities. Interesting insight into life at Eton!

[Amanda Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amusing true story from 1960 when the author found the two owls as young ones and hand reared them, taking them to Eton College with him and keeping them in his room at the boarding house.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fun read but I expected to know more about owls than I did after reading this book.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Jonathan (in the 1960s) takes two baby owls to Eton with him, he doesn’t realise how difficult two baby owls can be. Throughly charming story of Dee and Dum. This short memoir is a delight.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1959, when Jonathon Franklin was a student at Eton, a neighbor found two young owl orphans. Franklin was fascinated and wanted to raise them. Surprisingly, he received permission to take them to school with him.

Two Owls at Eton is the true tale of his attempt to raise the owls and attend to the business of being a busy student at the same time. They were a lot of hard work as they were messy, wanted frequent feeding and needed specialized foods. Fortunately, Franklin had the help and cooperation of the adults around him, and permissive parents.

I enjoyed this charming story which was originally written and published by the school boy in 1960. Franklin reports that his story was resurrected because the Harry Potter books created a new interest in owls.

[Chasquis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unfaultable really, the innocence! The pathos! Above all the knowledge gained by Mr Franklin as he and his friends and family 'swan' through the railway network, Suffolk rural society and the 'public school sytstem,' it all adds up to an anecdote of joy, mayhem and delight. Enriching read, recommended, especially if you are sick and tired (as I am) of hearing about how awful Eton and the established order is, was and ever shall be, amen.

[WaggyTail Terrier · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know more about owls than I ever have before, having read this wonderful book, which is enthralling. I would never have known how to raise an owl chick.