Book Reviews
- Staff Pick: Howl
- A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit
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By The Editors of The Bark
(Crown Publishers)
A delightful collection of tales, tunes, tutorials, and more, written by some of today’s most well-known writers and comedians, occupies this follow-up to the essay collection Dog Is My Co-Pilot. Al Franken, Wanda Sykes, Neal Pollack, and others weigh in with dog stories that highlight the comical interactions between pooches and their people, promising to cause a chuckle with the turn of every page.
Your Adopted Dog
By Shelley Frost and Katerina Lorenzatos Makris
(The Lyons Press)
When you bring an adopted dog into your home, the first few days can be crucial. This guide is designed to help you determine what he or she needs and how to integrate a new four-legged friend into your family. In addition to providing tips about proper care, health, and behavior, the authors also address the pet overpopulation problem and why it is important to adopt from shelters.
Pet Food Nation
By Joan Weiskopf
(Collins)
Everyone has his or her own opinions on the proper way to feed pets, including author Joan Weiskopf, a veterinary clinical nutritionist. She broaches pet health realistically, by addressing people’s concerns about commercial pet food and providing alternatives, while understanding that there are some pet guardians who will continue to use commercial pet food as a convenient way to give their pets a balanced diet. She writes passionately and authoritatively about the pros and cons of homemade versus commercial pet food, offering advice on the best way to approach either option.
The Dangerous Book for Dogs
By “Rex” and “Sparky”
(Random House)
This parody, “written” by dogs, for dogs, attempts to help canines take back their identity and become more than glorified accessories. Hilarious tutorials with accompanying line drawings, such as “How to Escape Humiliating Costumes,” or “Thing to Chase,” are essential reading for any dog person, while advice columns, such as “How to Make Your Owner Look Like an Idiot,” provide insight into canine retaliation tactics.
The Sneeze-Free Cat Owner
By Diane Morgan
(The Lyons Press)
It’s an age-old dilemma: You love cats, but just looking at one makes you sneeze. Or perhaps your new boyfriend or girlfriend is deathly allergic to your furry roommate. Author Diane Morgan helps those who find themselves facing these quandaries by providing suggestions to circumvent allergies without having to invest in pricey shots and medication. In addition to traditional allergy remedies, she suggests a bevy of homeopathic options and ways to keep the majority of dander at bay, so you and your cat can continue to live together happily and healthily in the first place.
