... insights into how dogs think and feel are truly amazing. In this extraordinary memoir
928815
The authors gifts for sharing insights into how dogs think and feel are truly amazing. In this extraordinary memoir, I traveled with Zeak as he and his dog friends romped joyfully though the woods and around the lake until that fateful visit with the vet. Anyone who has experienced love and loss, whether pet or human, will treasure the compassion and encouragement of this incredible journey with Margo, Zeak, and Lokota.
1052304
When reading this book, after the first chapter, I put it down and said I won't read any more of it. Then, I decided to read on and then I couldn't stop. I felt the pain for each dog's life and also for  their happiness. That the human's hand and kindness can touch a dog as well as another human  When I look at my rescue dog, I see her in a differant way. I think, what have you been through in your life and past lives? I think of my sweet Belgian Sheepdog who passed two years ago  and hope that someday she will show up again in some form. You must read this book. You will feel the pain and the joy and the hope for a better life for all dogs and humans alike.  Diane M.
4897653
I am not a big fan of animal books so I was prepared to not like this book, but it was a choice of my F2F book group.

Although I love dogs, I didn't want to read a memoir about `Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog', sure it would be a sentimental remembrance that just wouldn't appeal to me. So imagine my surprise as I was utterly captivated by the story of Marley, if not the world's worst dog, surely a difficult one.

A very large, headstrong and virtually untrainable Labrador Retriever, Marley was also lovable, steadfast and the true definition of man's best friend.  His absolute joy for life and his love of his family came through on every page. Marley was not an idealized version of a dog, a Hollywood Lassie or Rin Tin Tin both of whom probably never sniffed anyone's crotch. He had the heart of a puppy through all of his 12 years, but at 90 pounds his exuberance was often of a destructive nature.

Marley hated thunderstorms, loved the ocean, was protective of his family and always ready with a big slobbery kiss.  I give a lot of credit to the Grogan family for seeing the good in their beloved dog, he is the kind of adorable puppy that when grown often ends up back in a shelter. For all the love Marley gave them, they returned it in equal measure. This was a funny and thoroughly enjoyable memoir.
1330341
This is an insightful book about the impact dogs have on their owners.  The stories will touch your heart, make you smile and have you acknowledge the blessings dogs bring to our lives.  The similarity of the unconditional love and understanding our dogs show us and that from God is explored in this very special book!
3093201
As memoirs go, this is one of the best I have ever read. It is honest and speaks well of a woman who broke out of a hardscrabble childhood, went through a process of being reborn, and ultimately built a meaningful life for herself and a quirky collection of animals on the windswept Colorado prairie. Anna is an accomplished writer and has a gift for making the reader feel as though he is right beside her with stunning descriptions of harrowing blizzards, the births and deaths of beloved animals, and the sadness of dysfunctional family life. She writes with humor and sadness standing side by side with failure and triumph. Like Steinbeck or Faulkner, it is emotional and as real as it gets. I highly recommend it.
3412065
This book knocked my socks off. It's a very realistic tale of a boy finding his place in the world. Melancholy and poignant, it rings true in so many ways. It is so perfectly paced and so real emotionally speaking that it feels almost like a memoir written by the main character after the fact. I'm always enthralled by stories dealing with dogs, but this goes far beyond a typical "dog" story in terms of development and theme and meaning.

The development of Dirk's character is superb. He deals with the issues of a child and then a teenager growing up without a mom and dealing with an emotionally distant dad. As Dirk deals with his relationship with his father, he feels distant from the world and closest to his dogs. When his father's behavior threatens them, he comes to realize the differences between his father and himself. He has to work out what he truly wants to do and be.

Another thing that just feels right are all the complex relationships. The way Dirk and his father interact is very realistic, moving but filled with underlying sorrow. Dirk's relationship to his dogs is his most profound influence. The desire to care for them trumps anything else in life. His father's ex-girlfriend sees a spark in him and refuses to stop helping/mentoring him even after she is no longer dating his father. The friend that doesn't quite understand where Dirk is coming from but accepts him unconditionally any way. The girl who loves him but is inaccessible.

The book also raises awareness about is the good traits of pit bulls instead of what they are better known for - the fighting. Dirk comes to see the dark underbelly of the dogfighting world and has to decide what his stance will be.

This is an amazing book that will appeal to dog lovers instantly, but I also recommend to anyone who loves a deep story between father and son and spotless characterization.
2174403
Mark Asher offers a portrait of his relationship with his beloved Humphrey--a dog who shared his life and died before Mark was prepared to say "good-bye". Mark is very open with his grief, and vividly brings the reader into his world that is at first quite painful. But we are privileged to see a remarkable transformation in Mark as he opens his heart (cautiously at first) to older, lonely dogs at a shelter. His story captured my heart, and brought back the memories of the loss of a beloved animal companion. Mark Asher is a gifted writer and a special human being.
4329531
"Until Tuesday" is an incredible book in every way! I'm an avid dog lover and supporter of animals. I'm also a huge supporter of our military, so when I came across "Until Tuesday," I knew I would certainly enjoy it, but I wasn't aware of how much it would impact my life. Luis and Tuesday's story brought a better understanding of PTSD and shed light onto our wars in the Middle East.

Their story also educated about the road to becoming a service dog, the benefits and importance of owning a service dog and even the discrimination they face due to the ignorance of disabilities.
I greatly thank Luis for telling his and Tuesday's story. There were many challenges along the way, and though I will never be able to truly understand the battles Luis has faced, I am touched that he is willing to educate others and tell his story to help others.

"Until Tuesday" has helped me discover some wonderful organizations to help and become involved with. His story was heroic, heartwarming, often hard to read (I become emotional more than once), and definitely a book I'm proud to say is now a favorite.
Luis and Tuesday are remarkable with an incredible story to tell and I highly recommend this book as a must read! I look forward to someday getting the chance to meet Luis and Tuesday!
4004010
Ted Kerasote has a gift for weaving passionate research into the fabric of a compelling narrative in a way that makes the world a better place for dogs. In his earlier book "Merle's Door," Kerasote blazed bold new trails in understanding the science of dog behavior through the eyes of his dog Merle, a story of friendship, laughs and tears. When he and Merle met on a white water rafting trip in the spring of 1991, Kerasote could never have imagined that his constant companion would become a messenger for the canine soul and an ambassador for the free-thinking dog.  Merle lived fourteen years, a life considered full, if not long, by most standards. For Kerasote though, fourteen years was not nearly enough. Two years after Merle's death, he began his search for a new pup. The search became a journey during which Kerasote refused to accept the relative brevity of a dog's life. The result is "Pukka's Promise: The Quest for Longer-Lived Dogs".

"Pukka's Promise" is an intrepid yet beautiful body of work, a wake-up call to help us rethink the way we look at the lives of our eternally loyal canine friends. It is also an engagingly heartwarming story that will transport you to Kerasote's log cabin at the base of the Tetons, in a chair next to his fireplace, with his new pup Pukka and Pukka's four-legged friends lying at your feet, daydreaming about their perpetually entertaining escapades. Kerasote's insights from Pukka's puppyhood shenanigans are both waggishly comical and profoundly intelligent. Kerasote is a master observer of the way we learn from our dogs as much as they learn from us - just when you think you know how your dog sees the world, he makes you stop to reconsider. Kerasote's work is full of passion and information, a blueprint for the fullness of the human-canine bond. Depending on the audience, however, the journey may have a few moments of controversy.

Kerasote suggests that six factors shorten the life span of our dogs: inbreeding; over-vaccination; environmental pollutants; poor nutrition; how the North American shelter system currently operates; and spaying and neutering. Each topic relates to the decisions Kerasote makes before acquiring his new dog and the choices he then makes while raising Pukka from a seven-week old pup to a strapping, athletic adult. The list of topics may make some readers bristle and others cautious, but Kerasote's findings on every issue are grounded in five years of exhaustive and impeccable research (detailed in 50 pages of footnotes and citations).  He challenges common medical, breeding and shelter practices without an insider's bias, and questions the environment and nutrition we chose for our dogs.

Some pet professionals, and perhaps even some pet owners, may debate and criticize Kerasote's proposals. Some of his ideas will be seen as brilliant, others dismissed as unenforceable or unreasonable. Either way, they will undeniably raise essential questions that will improve the future of our dogs, questions that are long overdue, questions raised by an author who is first and foremost a true dog lover.  In "Merle's Door", Kerasote showed that he can make you understand the scholarship of canine behavior by making you fall in love with Merle. In "Pukka's Promise" you can't help but embrace the questions, if not all of the provocative solutions, because you will indeed fall in love with Pukka and his band of furry friends.
531231
Some days ago in a UK bookstore I saw the face of a Golden Reteiver (Tuesday) looking at me from the bookshelf. Unable to pass by I picked up the book feeling immediately that this was something special. I brought the book home and started reading. Horrified at the writer's (Luis) injuries, I wept on reading of his reliance on Tuesday and of his relationship with him.  It made me think of my beloved German Shepherd Carly and our 13 year relationship and the comfort she brought to me at times of stress, and how her mischievous sense of humour made us laugh. I have just finished reading this book and feel humble and inspired. I am inspired by the courage shown by Luis  in the face of  feelings that often are overwhelming and debilitating. It encourages me to carry on stretching my comfort zone often cramped by depression.  I recognise an over sensitised nervous system and know how hard it is to overcome, but my perceived threats are as nothing compared to Luis as a combat veteran. His courage is evidenced by his military decorations, and now by the reception he is receiving with Tuesday. This is a story from which we can all learn and appreciate the amazing capacity within dogs, and the spiritual nature of a deep relationship with an animal. For me it is no accident that these two are together in a very public way, and I wish them every success with their advocacy for veterans and the disabled. Plus I wish them every happiness, they deserve it. Readers will also be touched by Lu and Tom's stories, and it never ceases to amaze me at the way animals positively influence people's lives, dog's especially. I do believe that special animals come along and are united with special people in a way that should educate and influence all of us, and this is a spiritual experience from which we should all learn how we should interact with each other and the natural world. Luis and Tuesday are such a union.
1060112
Easily one of the best memoirs I've ever read!  So poignant, moving, deep, and wonderful.  Ellie brings you right along on their journey, exposing her deepest thoughts and feelings.  But it isn't all shock and horror... Ellie shares with us the light-hearted, funny moments.  She also brings us back to the reality that God is sovereign over all and how He carried them lovingly through each day and each moment.
1971275
Emotions run the gamut when reading this book; from laughter to tears to excitement to awe.  The science as well as the process behind a science project is revealed which should inspire any budding scientist.  The dogs are given all of the credit they  deserve for their roles in our lives.  Thanks to these dedicated scientists with inquiring minds, we now have evidence of why we love our dogs so much. Was pleased to also witness some great parenting styles, a bonus which further humanized the world of research.
4406745
I picked up this book because it had a beautiful Golden Retriever on the cover, and being an owner of a Golden Retriever, my heart melted at first glance. After reading the title and the jacket, I knew it was going to be an amazing story, but what I didn't expect was the amazing writing within the book binding. I thought the writing would be average, as you often find in autobiographies, but I still gave it a go. I learned by the third page of this book that my assumptions were wrong, this book is written very well. It's incredibly eloquent, so if I had any doubts about the quality of this book, they were quickly diminished by the third page.

The first half of this book is a heart-breaking story. The story of Tuesday's puppyhood, the conditions in Iraq, the manner of which the government treats its veterans is appalling. The story within this book is the reality of the state this country is currently in. The government fails to take care of the brave soldiers that put their lives on the line for the sake of the soil we live on, it enraged me. These conditions which are often down-played by the media need to be spread abroad, every American needs to know the disgraceful treatment the veterans receive. And not only the veterans, but the soldiers deployed as well. These subjects were touched on, many times, throughout the book, as the author suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

But it is not all anger and heartbreak, the relationship portrayed in this book, between the author and his Service Dog, Tuesday, will touch you to the depth of your heart and shortly thereafter melt it. I could relate to every word in regards to the friendship between a dog and man, as I do own my own Golden Retriever, I understood in depth the comfort and support their presence brings to our lives. Dogs are marvelous creatures, Golden Retrievers in particular, they're generally highly intelligent dogs, and very sensitive. The story will make you angry, but Tuesday will melt your heart.

I highly, highly, highly recommend this book. I believe every single American out there should read it. Not only is it fabulously written, it's tremendously enlightening in regards to war, injuries, visible or invisible, and the incredible help Service Dogs are to the veterans.
4933540
One of the most amazing books I've ever read: funny, erudite, insightful, and honest; this book is about much more than the author's experience with dementia. From the poignant particulars of her past and present life and extending to the workings of the cosmos, this book considers all of human experience through the lenses of art, philosophy, science--and extraordinary love.
1934791
The story moved me. The book is an adventure, a love story, a powerful insight into what it feels like to be bullied and an inspirational saga of personal, painful growth. The book exceeded expectations. If you love dogs, care about people, have ever struggled to break free from a painful past; read this book. Im unashamed to say I laughed and cried.
390593
Reading and understanding of a tome, especially autobiography, memoir, biting and bravely true and personal musings like this is by definition thrilling and meaningful and good regardless of what I thought or felt about them. I truly enjoyed delving into the achingly intelligent and incisive thoughts and experiences, ideas and theories of Alana Massey. It was revealing and cutting and funny and sad and, ultimately, uplifting. It will be on my mind for some time and there are ideas that will linger with me from here on. This book is appreciated and I'm thankful I found it and read it.
2265714
This book is the true story of a miracle: how a little dog helps a writer live with epilepsy by warning of seizures before they happen.  Joel Davis's honest account is unique in the painful details of his own disability -- and also as universal as the partnership between people and dogs, dating back thousands of years.
Anyone who's ever had any experience with service dogs will appreciate Joel's book, which also serves as a bugle call-to-arms in the crusade to integrate all kinds of assistance dogs into American society.
And anyone who simply loves dogs will be touched by the special canine-human bond described in Joel's story.