Essays Books

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World

Vicki Myron

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Animal Care & Pets -> Cats -> General

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 167 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

How much of an impact can an animal have? How many lives can one cat touch? How is it possible for an abandoned kitten to transform a small library, save a classic American town, and eventually become famous around the world? You can't even begin to answer those questions until you hear the charming story of Dewey Readmore Books, the beloved library cat of Spencer, Iowa.

Dewey's story starts in the worst possible way. Only a few weeks old, on the coldest night of the year, he was stuffed into the returned book slot at the Spencer Public Library. He was found the next morning by library director, Vicki Myron, a single mother who had survived the loss of her family farm, a breast cancer scare, and an alcoholic husband. Dewey won her heart, and the hearts of the staff, by pulling himself up and hobbling on frostbitten feet to nudge each of them in a gesture of thanks and love. For the next nineteen years, he never stopped charming the people of Spencer with his enthusiasm, warmth, humility, (for a cat) and, above all, his sixth sense about who needed him most.

As his fame grew from town to town, then state to state, and finally, amazingly, worldwide, Dewey became more than just a friend; he became a source of pride for an extraordinary Heartland farming town pulling its way slowly back from the greatest crisis in its long history.

Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence--and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process

Irene Pepperberg

Amazon Price: $14.37 List Price: $23.95 By: Collins Amazon Marketplace: 19 new & used starting at $14.17

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Animal Care & Pets -> Birds
Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Animal Care & Pets -> Essays
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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 56 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

On September 6, 2007, an African Grey parrot named Alex died prematurely at age thirty-one. His last words to his owner, Irene Pepperberg, were "You be good. I love you."

What would normally be a quiet, very private event was, in Alex's case, headline news. Over the thirty years they had worked together, Alex and Irene had become famous—two pioneers who opened an unprecedented window into the hidden yet vast world of animal minds. Alex's brain was the size of a shelled walnut, and when Irene and Alex first met, birds were not believed to possess any potential for language, consciousness, or anything remotely comparable to human intelligence. Yet, over the years, Alex proved many things. He could add. He could sound out words. He understood concepts like bigger, smaller, more, fewer, and none. He was capable of thought and intention. Together, Alex and Irene uncovered a startling reality: We live in a world populated by thinking, conscious creatures.

The fame that resulted was extraordinary. Yet there was a side to their relationship that never made the papers. They were emotionally connected to one another. They shared a deep bond far beyond science. Alex missed Irene when she was away. He was jealous when she paid attention to other parrots, or even people. He liked to show her who was boss. He loved to dance. He sometimes became bored by the repetition of his tests, and played jokes on her. Sometimes they sniped at each other. Yet nearly every day, they each said, "I love you."

Alex and Irene stayed together through thick and thin—despite sneers from experts, extraordinary financial sacrifices, and a nomadic existence from one univer­sity to another. The story of their thirty-year adventure is equally a landmark of scientific achievement and of an unforgettable human-animal bond.

Marley & Me Low Price CD

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 1 to 3 weeks By: HarperAudio Amazon Marketplace: 17 new & used starting at $4.00

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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Animal Care & Pets -> Dogs -> General
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Subjects -> Home & Garden -> Animal Care & Pets -> Essays

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1370 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Should be subtitled "World's Worst Owners" 1 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I am really saddened to see that the author is profiting over what amounts to me as neglect of poor Marley; and even more saddened that such a large segment of our society seems to think that this kind of treatment is ok. I have 2 Golden Retrievers, including one who is quite similar in personality to Marley based on my reading of the book, and I would never, never, never fathom locking them up in my garage, or leaving them alone for as long as Marley was left alone while they worked. It is our duty as pet owners to know what we are getting into when we get a dog, and Labs (Marley) and Goldens (my dogs) are the least likely kind of dog to adapt well to being left alone all day (and I don't know any other type of dog that would deal well with that); a brief walk and throwing some balls doesn't make up for it. And I am still sickened by his wife beating up Marley; there are no words for that. Poor Marley--it is terrible that the author even subtitled this "World's Worst Dog:" What the heck did he expect given the crappy job he did raising and taking care of him? My Golden who was similar in personality to Marley would be acting the exact same way. You don't have to be Cesar Milan to figure that one out, its just basic common sense, which far too many dog owners don't seem to have. Its sickening--this type of animal neglect is as bad in some ways as blatant animal abuse. Mr Grogan, you are fooling yourself if you think Marley was a part of your family...if you are indeed a decent human being (which I think you are), you wouldn't treat a family member like you treated Marley.

Editorial Review:

John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with a perfect little house and not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wriggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.

Marley quickly grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound streamroller of a Labrador retriever. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, and stole women's undergarments. Obedience school did no good -- Marley was expelled.

And yet his heart was pure. Just as Marley joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. A dog like no other, Marley remained steadfast, a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.

Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog

Ted Kerasote

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 190 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A Book Every Dog Lover Will Enjoy. 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I bought Merle's Door because the sub-title "Lessons from a Freethinking Dog" caught my eye. I was in Pet Smart buying a bag of Eukaneuba kibble for my nine-month old Standard Schnauzer puppy named Otto, who is about as freethinking a dog as you are ever going to meet.

Ted Kerasote leads the reader/dog owner-lover on a wonderful adventure into the hidden life of dogs; not simply "what dogs think," from a Pavlovian standpoint, but why dogs are the way they are.

On more than one occasion, this book brought a smile to my face, or tears to my eyes as I learned something new about dogs. This book will bring you closer to your companion animal in a way you never dreamed possible. Dogs are a lot more than pets we shape, mold, and train to our liking; they can be companions with whom we can connnect and share experiences with, if we will let dogs be themselves.

Editorial Review:

Now including a wonderful new photo insert chronicling Merle’s life, this national bestseller explores the relationship between humans and dogs. How would dogs live if they were free? Would they stay with their human friends?

Merle and Ted found each other in the Utah desert— Merle was living wild and Ted was looking for a pup to keep him company. As their bond grew, Ted taught Merle how to live around wildlife, and Merle taught Ted about the benefits of letting a dog make his own decisions.

Using the latest in wolf research and exploring issues of animal consciousness and leadership and the origins of the human-dog relationship, Ted Kerasote takes us on the journey he and Merle shared. As much a love story as a story of independence and partnership, Merle’s Door is tender, funny, and ultimately illuminating.

You Are a Dog: Life Through the Eyes of Man's Best Friend

Terry Bain

Amazon Price: $10.88 List Price: $16.00 Usually ships in 1 to 3 weeks By: Harmony Amazon Marketplace: 24 new & used starting at $4.95

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Subjects -> Entertainment -> Humor -> Cats, Dogs & Animals
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Humor -> General
Subjects -> Entertainment -> Humor -> General AAS

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

A hilarious, captivating commentary that gives us--finally--a true dog’s-eye view of the world.

• The Sofa: “The sofa is Position One. The sofa makes you feel as if you are with your people even when your people are gone.”

• The Toilet: “The advantage of drinking from the toilet is that the water is always fresh.”

• The Baby: “Often known as She Who Randomly Flings Food from the Table, the baby has the most flavorful, ever-changing face of all your people.”

“After reading You Are a Dog, you will start thinking like a dog.” --Bash Dibra, celebrity pet trainer and author of DogSpeak

“You Are a Dog should be the talk of every dog run in the U.S. With humor, and more bite than one might expect, Terry Bain helps us to see the world through the eyes of our dogs, and to look at their lives in fresh and insightful ways.” --Jon Katz, author of A Dog Year, The New Work of Dogs, and The Dogs of Bedlam Farm

“Terry Bain has cracked the canine code to demystify those charming, endearing, and occasionally bizarre habits our beloved dogs exhibit. You Are a Dog is equal parts witty and warm, sweet and sympathetic--read this and be destined to meet your dog at a richer, deeper level.”--Dr. Marty Becker, veterinary contributor for Good Morning America, author of The Healing Power of Pets

Old Dogs: Are the Best Dogs

Gene Weingarten

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 27 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Anyone who has ever loved an old dog will love Old Dogs. In this collection of profiles and photographs, Weingarten and Williamson document the unique appeal of man's best friend in his or her last, and best, years.

This book is a tribute to every dog who has made it to that time of life when the hearing and eyesight begin to go, when the step becomes uncertain, but when other, richer traits ripen and coalesce. It is when a dog attains a special sort of dignity and a charm all his own.

If you've known a favorite old dog, you'll find him or her on these pages. Your dog might go by a different name and have a different shape, but you'll recognize him or her by the look in an eye or the contours of a life story. There is the dog who thinks he is a house cat; the herder, the fetcher, the punk and the peacock, the escape artist, the demolition artist, the patrician, the lovable lout, the amiable dope, the laughable clown, the schemer, the singer, the daredevil, the diplomat, the politician, the gourmand, and the thief. Plus, as a special bonus, you will find the first Latvian elkhounds ever photographed.

Old Dogs is a glorious gift book and a fitting tribute to that one dog you can't ever forget.

The Daily Coyote: A Story of Love, Survival, and Trust in the Wilds of Wyoming

Shreve Stockton

Amazon Price: $15.64 List Price: $23.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Simon & Schuster Amazon Marketplace: 8 new & used starting at $15.64

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

When photographer and writer Shreve Stockton decided to move back to her beloved New York from San Francisco, she decided to take her time and make the trip on her Vespa. When she reached Wyoming, Shreve was captivated by the red dirt, the Bighorn Mountains, and the wide-open spaces. Unable to shake the spell of the "cowboy state," she soon found herself trading her New York City apartment for a house in Ten Sleep, Wyoming -- population 300.

Shreve threw away her cell phone and took to the rules of the land, adjusting to a lifestyle that was a near antithesis to that of the urban jungle. Time is of a different essence, nature is both livelihood and enemy, deer and coyote mark the dawn and dusk. After she met a local cowboy by chance on the side of the road, first a friendship and then a romance blossomed between them.

When Shreve was unexpectedly presented with a ten-day-old coyote pup whose parents had been shot for killing sheep, she had a choice to make. Despite her reservations and the terror of her tomcat Eli, Shreve decided to do the unthinkable -- to raise the coyote pup she came to call Charlie in her 12 12-foot log cabin.

In arresting prose and illuminated with Shreve's breathtaking photography, The Daily Coyote is at once Shreve's month-by-month exploration of Charlie's first year and a meditation on the nature of wildness versus domestication, of nature versus nurture, and of forgiveness, loyalty, and love in all its forms.

Izzy & Lenore: Two Dogs, an Unexpected Journey, and Me

Jon Katz

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

In his previous books, New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz introduced us to the delightful menagerie at Bedlam Farm, including Izzy, the unforgettable border collie rescue. Now, in Izzy & Lenore, Katz delves deeper into his connection with the beautiful, once-abandoned dog, learning yet again about the unexpected places animals can take us. Affectionate and intuitive, Izzy is unlike any dog Katz has encountered, and the two undertake a journey Katz could not have imagined without the arrival of a new companion: a spirited, bright-eyed black Labrador puppy named Lenore.

As trained hospice volunteers visiting homes and nursing facilities in upstate New York, Katz and Izzy bring comfort and canine companionship to people who most need it. An eighty-year-old Alzheimer’s patient smiles for the first time in months when she feels Izzy’s soft fur. A retired logger joyfully remembers his own beloved dog when he sees Izzy. As Izzy bonds with patients and Katz focuses on their families, the author begins to come to terms with his own life, discovering dark realities he has never confronted. Meanwhile, Lenore–quickly dubbed the Hound of Love–arrives at Bedlam. Her genial personality and boundless capacity for affection steer Katz out of the shadows, rekindle his love of working with dogs, and restore his connection to the farm and the animals and people around him.

Humorous and deeply moving, Izzy & Lenore is a story of a man confronting his past, embracing the blessings of his current life, and rediscovering the meaning of friendship, family, and faith. Katz shares an uplifting tale of love, compassion, and the rich and complex relationships between dogs and their humans.

Amazing Gracie: A Dog's Tale

Dan Dye, Mark Beckloff

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 98 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

Now in paperback, AMAZING GRACIE is a moving, funny, and inspirational canine rags-to-riches story. "Tears will stain the pages as you read about Gracie," says USA Today. The Chicago Tribune advises, "If you're short on inspiration, read Amazing Gracie." "You don't have to be obsessed with dogs to love this story" (Philadelphia Enquirer), "Two paws up" (Portland Oregonian), "humorous yet poignant" (ASPCA Animal Watch). Booklist comments that "Dog-loving teens, especially reluctant readers, will eat this up." AMAZING GRACIE was nominated as a Young Adult Choice for 2002 by The International Reading Association-proof that it's a great crossover book.

Gracie was a deaf and partially blind albino Great Dane with a delicate constitution and a penchant for small miracles. Dan is the man-sad over the loss of his last dog and trapped in a dead-end job-who adopted her. Three Dog Bakery is the burgeoning and much-publicized chain of canine bakeries that, inspired by Gracie, Dan and his friend Mark founded. A love story, AMAZING GRACIE describes how Dan saves Gracie, the loneliest pup in the litter, then how, over the next ten years, Gracie saves Dan and Mark, teaching them the real meaning of happiness. There's the moment of meeting, when Gracie gets to her feet like a clumsy foal and nuzzles Dan's nose. Gracie's romance with the pint-size Boston Terrier next door. And the eureka moment (born of Gracie's anorexia-inducing dislike for commercial dog food): Dan teaches himself to cook and within three days begins baking the dog cookies that will transform their lives. AMAZING GRACIE is a dog-lover's treat.

From Baghdad, With Love: A Marine, the War, and a Dog Named Lava

Jay Kopelman, Melinda Roth

Amazon Price: $10.17 List Price: $14.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: The Lyons Press Amazon Marketplace: 52 new & used starting at $4.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 121 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Heartwarming, uplifting, tensions high, emotions soaring!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

What can I say that hasn't already been said about this wonderful book? Not much to tell you the truth. It is a great book, very hard to put down. You learn so much about Lava and Jay, as well as what is really going on in Iraq. It took me a long time to bring myself to buy this book.
One reason was I was afraid to read the reality of what is going on in Iraq. Because I knew that there was no way someone could write about a dog he is trying to save, without telling us what is really happening over there. The other is I knew that the military doesn't allow any contact with stray animals. So in my head I thought it was going to be a sad ending.
So I avoided the book, that is until the seeing the second book that came out. I saw that he arrived home safely. Now, I am kicking myself for not getting this book earlier. I laughed, cried, almost hurled (from some of the things that he described), cried, and laughed again.
I hope that this really opens the militarys eyes and sees that our troops really do need the comfort of animals. They just seem to make everything feel better. Just a few minutes of being with your furry pal, puts you in a wonderful zone.
Thanks Jay for saving Lava, and opening the door for the possiblity of more rescues.
Good bless our Troops!!!

Editorial Review:

A war memoir that will capture the hearts of its readers, just as one scruffy puppy sneaked his way into the hearts of hardened Marines just when they needed it most.