Question: Is there ever enough time to read? Answer: No. I read every night and every morning at a minimum, and if I ever had a genie rise out of a bottle and ask me for one wish, I’d ask for another hour or two of reading time in every day. (And long, pretty legs instead of stumpy ones. And world peace.)
Here are some of the books I’ve been savoring, in hopes of beginning a conversation about other great books just waiting for me to turn the page:
The Possibility Dogs. I wrote about it last week, but couldn’t skip mentioning it again. Here’s the quote I sent to the publisher after reading the review copy: “What an amazing book. Combine love, knowledge and real-life drama with pitch-perfect writing, and you’ll end up with The Possibility Dogs. Simply brilliant!” I like it so much we’re selling it on our website.
What the Dog Knows by Cat Warren. I’ll have to start by asking for your forgiveness, because the book won’t be out until next October (but you can pre-order it). I mention it now because it is so closely related to Susannah Charleson’s Scent of the Missing, in that it is about dogs using their noses (in this case Cat trains Solo, a singleton pup German Shepherd Dog, to become a “cadaver” dog.) Cat is an Associate Professor in English and the writing shows it; it’s the kind of writing that either inspires you or makes you want to throw your hands up and stop writing yourself altogether. It is a fantastic book, combining CSI-like details about the science of finding the remains of deceased people, Cat’s experiences learning to become a handler, and her abiding love (and occasional humorously described frustration) with her amazing dog, Solo. I think that this book is one of the greats, so don’t worry, I’ll write about it again in October when it is released.
Cooked by Michael Pollen. Those of you who know me know that I love food almost as much as I love dogs or Jim, so of course I had to buy Cooked as soon as it came out. The subtitle, A Natural History of Transformation, is an important guide to the book’s content. Not a cookbook, not a discussion about what we eat or where it comes from (as in his other books like The Omnivore’s Dilemma or In Defense of Food), Cooked is about the miraculous transformation that occurs when the skilled use of four classical elements–fire, water, air and earth–change, for example, a simple mix of flour and water into a crusty, air-filled loaf of bread. After reading it, I am inspired to make my own sourdough starter (I make bread a lot, but I use commercial yeast and flour), I appreciate BBQ like never before (that’s saying a lot) and am inspired to make even more slow-cooked stews and pot roasts. As usual, Pollen’s writing is informative, interesting and funny. I laughed out loud so often that Willie began glaring at me when I picked up the book.
Gulp by Mary Roach. Food goes in, food goes out. I didn’t plan to read these books in concert, it just seemed to happen that way. While Cooked is all about the preparation of food, Gulp explains what happens to it once you put it in your mouth. Not for the faint of heart or the squeamish, Roach doesn’t hesitate to get down and dirty about what goes on inside your body after dinner. Subtitled “Adventures on the Alimentary Canal,” Gulp is ridiculously funny (The Washington Post calls her “America’s funniest science writer”) and endlessly fascinating (Elvis probably died of constipation–seriously). However, even I, the woman who attracted a circle of stunned Masai warriors when I squatted down in glee to discover dung beetles in cow poop, had to take a break for awhile once the food traveled into the gut. There’s just so much I can read about poop, so I began to read the end in small doses. Still, I heartily enjoyed it. Mary Roach also wrote Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, which I loved, and Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. (How have I missed out on reading that? Anyone read it?)
Daring Greatly by Brené Brown. This is a book I want to buy for every single person I have ever cared about. I think it’s brilliant. And amazing. And important. You may have heard about Brown’s TED talk about vulnerability, and the importance of embracing honesty, humility and vulnerability as a strength rather than a weakness. Brown is a PhD, LMSW (social work) professor and writer who has spent her academic life studying vulnerability, courage, and shame. Yes, shame, that emotion that no one wants to think about but is the cornerstone of so much of our suffering. She has a blog that is a wonderful source of inspiration (and other great books). Daring Greatly is an important antidote to a world in which people are lightening quick to criticize anyone who doesn’t fit their standards of perfection, and in which snap judgements are encouraged by social media. And if I may, I might suggest that it is just as relevant in the world of dog training as in any other. Dog trainers and dog lovers can be terribly hard on one another, and I think there’s little profit in that. After I finished this book I started on one of her earlier ones, The Gifts of Imperfection. I’d love to hear if you’ve read her work already (or seen her Ted Talk) and what you thought.
With Me or Without Me by Domenica Ruta. The list of memoirs written by women raised by crazy, abusive, or just downright difficult mothers grows and grows, but this book stands out to me above many of the others. Ruta, a writer with an MFA from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, has written a book that is unflinchingly honest and relentlessly engaging. I finished it in two sessions, cursing her at one point for robbing me of a good night’s sleep. Here is one of my favorite quotes about the book: “Freakishly brilliant, brilliantly freakish, this is one of the best memoirs I have ever read” (Gary Shteyngart) and “…hums with jangled energy and bristles with sharp edges.” (Slate) A word of caution however: Ruta does not hold back about her behavior. If you are easily shocked or offended, you might want to pass it up. (And of course, now some of you are especially interested in it, right? Smile.)
Also, I’ve recently read Mary Karr’s The Liar’s Club (1995, another memoir about growing up with, or in spite of, parents who did not read the book on raising children) and The House of Tyneford by Natasha Solomons (historical fiction, 2011). Both excellent.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: Summer is well along and the lambs are growing well. We are almost done with bottle feeding, all five bottle babies being over eight weeks old, ruminating and able to turn grass into usable energy. That will give me over an hour a day back, what a gift! We are learning as we go about the ins and outs of a strictly followed controlled grazing regimen, and the learning curve is steep but interesting. If the area we create with electric fence is too large, the sheep still pick and choose what they like best and trample the rest. Sort of like picking out the chocolates from a chocolate chip cookie by throwing away the cookie part. If the area is just right, they eat everything in sight, exactly as we want, but areas that small will only last one or two days and so have to be created several times a week. However, we’ve learned that if the grass is too high, a “right size” area doesn’t work, because they won’t eat the flower or seed stalks, and end up trampling those long stems onto whatever was good food for them. Either way, it is a great deal of work for us, mowing lanes to set the electric fence (it’ll short out if just a few blades of grades rest against one of the wires), setting up the fence, and then moving the sheep back and forth one to two times a day. Willie thought it was great until he injured his hip and went on a “crate rest” regimen. (More on that below.) My reaction is mixed: I like that huffing up our steep hill 2 to 4 times a day means that I can eat a chocolate chip cookie every once in a while without worrying I’ll have to buy new jeans (Okay 2 cookies. Maybe 3. I’m just saying.) Jim is absolutely stalwart about mowing and setting the fence, and has yet to complain about the frequency of it. The sheep don’t like it at all. Sometimes I’ll put them in an area with the equivalent of porridge, and they’ll stand there bawling at me in protest. The “baa’s” of protesting sheep are unmistakable, and truly amusing. (Unless you are tired, and Buttercup, the loudest whiner of the group, won’t stop yelling in your ear while you’re cleaning out the barn. “NO-O-O-O-O,” she’ll say. “I want more Foo-oo-oo-ooo-ood!” The words, “Buttercup, shut up,” have passed my lips on occasion.)
The bad news: Willie’s strained his Iliopsoas muscle. Sigh. He got up last week and held his left hind up for at least 12-15 strides, then put it down but limped badly. The good news is that it is a mild strain, and recovery is expected within four to six weeks. I’m grateful that it’s not worse, and predictably bummed that it has happened at all. I think he is dealing with it far better than I, but I am working on acceptance and deep breathing and being grateful for all we have. I’ve pulled him from the two trials we had entered and canceled our herding lesson in July. We’re doing special exercises two times a day, he’s on lots of supplements and had acupuncture yesterday, so hopefully this will be behind us soon. Cross your paws. (A related note: I continue to check to be sure I’m not spelling “Iliopsoas” incorrectly. A veterinarian friend of mine said it was her favorite muscle because it sounds like a dinosaur. I agree, and I’m grateful to her, because now every time I say “Iliopsoas” I smile.)
Oh well, more time for me to garden, right? This spring we’ve had lots of water, about 4-6 inches over usual, a far cry from last year’s drought. We’re all getting a little nervous about getting in a hay crop (it being especially hard to get last year), but it is lovely to see the plants get “fed” so well this spring and early summer. Here’s an Iris, a flower I find lovely and ridiculous at the same time:
And the detail of a Tree Peony flower. The colors are so bright it looks fake, but this truly is exactly the colors the camera recorded. Honest, I promise. Wow.
Kerry M. says
I pre-ordered Possibility Dogs when you first mentioned it, and that worked out, so I just use your link (hopefully you’re an affiliate) to pre-order What the Dog Knows. My favorite parts? 1) With the price guarantee, ordering now should save me money. 2) I usually forget pre-orders are coming out, so I get a nice surprise in the mail on Tuesday
Lindsay says
The ebook “Listening to Dogs” by Jon Katz is excellent.
Rose C says
I used to read a lot (mostly novels, ok romantic novels) in high school, mostly my textbooks in college, and somehow none since I started working. I recently started reading again (mostly dog books since I realized there’s so much to learn about them). The whole thing got me interested in reading again, got a couple based on your recommendations. I’ll probably go by your lists of recommended and reviewed books from now on. (Oprah’s book club really didn’t do much to motivate me. I’m just saying . . . ) And maybe having my new Kindle would get me going as well (no, Amazon didn’t pay me to say that either 🙂 ). Farm and sheep keeping you and Jim busy. Not to worry, everything will be good. But, good luck telling a sheep to shut up 🙂
Jen Gibson says
I, too, love Dr. Brene Brown. I’ve read The Gifts of Imperfection and her first book – I Thought It Was Just Me. I started out thinking “Shame? Don’t think I’ve experienced much of that…” to “Whoa. Yes I have…yikes!!” So completely relevant to everyone. I love her TED talks, highly recommended. I haven’t dipped into Daring Greatly, but I think I’ve left the best until last.
LisaW says
Someone I knew used to call Bearded Iris “Ladies of the Night” flowers. She said this with more than a little disdain. I love their gaudy way of calling the bees.
Hope Willie is doing better. Give him a little massage from us.
Shannon says
Great list! I just finished Sasannah’s book and I’m in the middle of Mary Roach’s…we both have great taste! I’m looking forward to Will Ferguson’s 419, A Dog Walks Into a Nursing Home by Sue Halpern, Pandora’s Lunchbox by Melanie Warner and a ton of YA fiction, since it’s summer and I need to have fun too!
FidoPhoto says
I’ve been noticing that your photography is getting better and better. If you’ve been working at it and/or taking classes, it’s paying off. I love the unusual perspective of the peony and the color contrast with the green background. I suspect you might even have started using a tripod. Am I right?
Anyway, the BOOKS! I love books too and I can’t seem to find enough time to read either.
I read “Stiff” when it came out and loved it so I read her next book about ghosts and was terribly disappointed, but then I read a review of “Gulp” so I got that and became a fan again. I thought the first half was much funnier than the second, but still very enjoyable and I certainly learned a few things I had never even wondered about. Because it was good, I’m now almost done with “Bonk” which is equally good and instructional. I didn’t think I had that much to learn since I’ve been a fan of Dan Savage for 20 years, but I was wrong. After reading both of these, I feel a bit like I’m enabling Mary Roach to pursue all sorts of odd and borderline inappropriate research topics. Her books are kind of a guilty pleasure in that they ask (and answer!) all kinds of questions that are off-limits in polite society.
Have you read “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls? I still think about it and am astounded that she grew up to be a functional and productive adult. Another recent favorite that has stayed with me is “Age of Miracles” by Karen Thompson. It’s written from the point of view of an 11 year old girl and it’s seriously thought provoking about how we take the earth’s rotation for granted and what might happen if it gradually starts to change. “What Alice Forgot” by is a good summer read as are the parasol protectorate books by Gail Carriger starting with “Soulless”.
Looking forward to others’ recommendations!
Laura says
I just read Until Tuesday this past week and liked it very much. His story was engaging, but I confess, I am much more attracted to Susanna Charleson’s writing style. There’s just something in her writing that pulls me in and keeps me there without being aware of it. I love love love, her descriptions of dog behavior, the barking, the jumping and bouncing, the tail wags. I can see them in my mind and it gives me a much better description of what a dog is telling you when he or she does those things. I’ve restarted Scent Of The Missing again, just cause it’s so soothing. My fiancé reads to me often. I think of it as us sharing a book together and right now, we’re wanting to read the next book in the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher. If you want to laugh out loud and if you can imagine Sam Spade or Philip Marlow, crossed with Harry potter, you’ll love these books. a great fictional read curled up with my best friend and my dog. I love to read. It’s so soothing, especially in these passed few days where I’ve been dealing with a lot of eye pain. It helps me take my mind off the pain and relax. It also helps to have Seamus curled up next to me. 😀
As for Willie, give him lots of lovins, as my fiancé would say, he’s from the south, and I hope he feels better soon.
Kat says
I don’t have a reading problem. I can quit anytime I want. Just as soon as I finish this chapter. I love and hate it when you do blog posts about books. I love it because I know I’m going to learn about more great books to read and hate it because I know I’m going to be adding yet more books to my already extensive collection. Shameless plug alert: fortunately, having gotten hooked on BookCrossing http://www.bookcrossing.com I am now managing to hold the line at several thousand books thanks to my rule that if a book comes in to stay another must be released to new adventures.
I finished Possibility Dogs in a day. I couldn’t put it down and I loved it so much that I gave a copy to my father for his birthday. For Father’s Day I sent him A.J. Jacob’s “A Year of Living Biblically: One Man’s Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible.” By turns thought provoking and hysterically funny I really enjoyed that one too. I was particularly struck by the extent to which going through the forms without belief impacted his attitudes and understanding and his understanding of belief.
I’m about a third of the way through “Cooked” and enjoying it. My big reading at the moment seems to be revisiting favorites. I love SciFi/Fantasy and have been re-reading some of David Weber’s Honor Harrington books–Space Opera at its finest, Jim Butcher’s Harry Dreseden novels–a real live wizard living in Chicago fighting for the right against all odds, and P.G. Hodell’s Kencyrath novels–High Fantasy in a well developed world with excellent characters. Common thread in all of them is the person who does what’s right despite all costs. And of course the dog books Behavior Adjustment Training by Grisha Stewart, Control Unleashed by Leslie MacDevitt, and lots of books on canine massage and T-Touch.
Finna’s been having intermittent bouts of lameness. She’d get to the point of being apparently sound as long as she’s not overdoing it–she’s fine except extended bouts of fetch or long periods of playing with Ranger would make her limp slightly but be apparently fine again after a night’s sleep. Then she’d do something like trying to jump over the recycling bin I was sorting papers into and re-injure herself and be limping for a week or so. The bouts of apparent soundness didn’t fully match with the vet’s presumptive diagnosis of a partial cruciate tear. I need to thank you for sharing Willie’s journey and diagnosis. When I looked it up online the symptoms sounded a lot more like what Finna exhibits than those described for the partial tear. I asked our vet about it and he’s spending the weekend researching the subject. We’ll talk on Tuesday or Wednesday. It’s one of the things I like best about our vet he’s open to other ideas and he respects the fact that I try to be a good advocate for my animals without trying to be the vet simply because I read about something online. It’s a balancing act sometimes but we’re partners in it. Thank you for helping me be more informed and sharing your journey so I can learn.
Lori says
Funny enough, I just started reading The Other End of The Leash again! It’s always a good refresher and I love the book!
glauber says
My daughter tells me that it’s already an old book by her standards, but i just caught up with “A Tale Dark and Grimm” by Adam Gidwitz, and i couldn’t put it down. It’s a great retelling of the classic fables, beautifully done, a very original author’s “voice”. (No dogs, unfortunately, but it does have talking ravens and a dragon.)
More animal related: I heard a review of “We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves” (author KarenJoy Fowler) that compared it to Kazuo Ishiguro’s “Never Let Me Go”. I’m planning to read it as soon as i can.
Another old book that i just read: “Lucky Jim” (Kingsley Amis), is one of the funniest books i’ve ever read, but it’s mean, so probably not for everybody.
I’m re-reading (again) the “Beb” books by Frederick Buechner, and i always find so much wisdom and comfort there that i will probably keep re-reading them every few years. In the same vein and even better is “Gilead”, by Marilynne Robinson.
Finally, Christopher Hitchens’ memoir “Hitch-22” was simultaneously enlightening and irritating. It’s probably one of those books that requires a second reading to truly “get” it.
LisaW says
Speaking of flashy flowers, Michael Pollan’s (there’s that last name link to your profession/passion again), book, “Botany of Desire,” is my favorite of his books. He looks at four plants — the apple, the tulip, marijuana, and the potato and links their evolution to our human desires for sweetness, beauty, intoxication, and control.
Another book I truly loved is “Mountains Beyond Mountains,” by Tracy Kidder, tells the story of Dr. Paul Farmer and his quest to provide basic medical care to people in Haiti, Peru, Cuba, and Russia. Farmer founded Partners In Health. The title is from a Haitian proverb “Beyond mountains there are mountains:” as you solve one problem, another problem presents itself, and so you go on and try to solve that one too.
Susan S. says
There are always two books on my nightstand. The current dog book is “The Genius of Dogs” by Brian Hare. The fiction is “Jewelweed” by Wisconsin’s own David Rhodes. I loved his last book, “Driftless,” and this new one complements it.
Trisha says
Thanks for the comments about the phtots FidoPhoto 🙂 I took a class in Contemplative Photography, was just wonderful.
To Kat: You cracked me up with your yes/no, love/hate comments. I share your pain. And now you’ve sent us a link to a great book blog, we’re all doomed. (And good luck with Fiona.)
To Lisa W: I LOVE Botany of Desire, absolutely one of my favorites. Who knew Johnny Appleseed was trying to help people find affordable ways to drink booze? And of course, did I love the section on tulips? Do you think? The marijuana chapter made me laugh out loud: He describes it as a plant that has domesticated humans.
And oh yes, to Rose C and your comment “good luck getting a sheep to shut up.” Sounds to me like the voice of experience. And I agree–Buttercup will not be squelched. Maybe if I put bawing on cue first?
To all who have recommended books: Oh boy oh boy. I’m starting a list. I’m so grateful you are sharing your favorites!
One more thing: A friend is coming to look at Ralphie this weekend. Cross your paws, no, hooves.
Beth with the Corgis says
I just finished “Pack of Two” and had very mixed feelings about it. I wonder how much my views were influenced by the fact that I know she sadly died so young. I really wanted to love it; some of the writing was beautiful, and there were many laugh-out-loud moments and some interesting observations. But I could not help feel exhausted by her never-ending examination of every single aspect of every relationship in her life, including that with the dog. I would put it down saying “Just relax and enjoy it for a change!” and not want to pick it back up for a few days. Self-examination is a good thing, but when it gets to the point that it interferes with actually living…. and I felt that she frequently slipped across that boundary.
I’m currently re-reading “The Hobbit” on the fiction front, after seeing (and being disappointed by) the movie. It’s so light and fun compared with the darker trilogy that followed. We went to Oxford last year and it was enchanting to see the places where Tolkien worked and lived and wrote.
For non-fiction, I’ve been slowly working my way through Brenda Aloff’s excellent pictorial book on Canine Body Language. I’m reading slowly so I have time to fully absorb each set of behaviors before moving on. I have learned SO much and can’t believe how much I missed in the past. Recently, for instance, we arrived at the park and Jack went cantering up to a very big dog that he knows well and gets along with. The dog had a tennis ball and he snarked at Jack, guarding it. Jack immediately turned so he was perpendicular to the other dog and sniffed the ground for a few seconds before wandering off. Until reading this book, I would not have realized that the ground-sniffing is a very clear signal to the other dog that “Hey, I mean no harm, I won’t be going after your ball;” I would have thought he just randomly changed his mind on what to do when the other dog was clearly not interested in saying hi. I always knew that Jack was pretty bomb-proof with other dogs while Maddie sometimes gets herself into corners, and it’s very interesting to see the dynamics now of WHY that happens, and how actively Jack works to keep the peace in groups of dogs while Maddie is in her own little world and not always paying attention to the signals she’s giving.
I also realized that many sources out there that describe “submission” in dog-dog greetings are frankly pretty far off-base. I can now clearly see the difference between Jack’s neutral/friendly typical greeting and the actual submissive posture he shows towards the two or three dogs he thinks of as having more status than himself (out of dozens). The ears-down greeting is frequently describes as submissive. It always confused me because Jack greets this way but is not at all a submissive dog. But the “I mean no harm” description given in Aloff’s book is a much more meaningful interpretation of the behavior. Because you can be confident and self-assured but still be peaceful in your intent.
I may have to pick up “Daring Greatly.” That sounds so interesting. I do feel that the online world, while opening up great possibilities, has also increased the sort of group-think that leads like-minded people to laud or slam people or philosophies without thinking through the complexities of things. Very few things are all-good or all-bad, yet the sort of conversations that happen online, behind the safety of keyboards, lead people to perhaps lose their inner censor. I can think of one dog blogger who was often deeply critical on her blog of other writers or owners, breeders or trainers, yet was surprisingly thin-skinned if anyone disagreed, no matter how nicely, with what she posited on her own blog. A reminder that if we are going to speak out against something dear to someone else, we should remember how we feel if someone speaks out about what is dear to us.
Chris from Boise says
I just finished “The Dog Who Knew Too Much – a Chet and Bernie Mystery”, by Spencer Quinn. Chet being the dog, who narrates the whole story. I borrowed it from our neighborhood Little Free Library (http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/) a block away for a quick read. The storyline is okay, but the narration is true dog. I laughed till I cried, and (as many other posters say) stayed up till midnight to read ‘just one more page’. If you need a break from the serious stuff, pick this one up.
Thanks for all the great suggestions of other books!
Mireille says
@Beth so I’m not the only one being disappointed by the Hobbit movie because it so completey ignored the light and fun tone of the book. Seeing the movy truly felt like ‘uphill work’ whereas the book is a ‘walk in teh woods’.
As to reading, well, I’m still following up on past recommendations from Trish: Malcom Gladwell Blink, Temple Grandin’s Animals in translation.
Re reading ‘Winterdance’ by Gary Paulson makes me smile before going to sleep.
One of the funniest absurd books I read recently; The hundred year old man who climbed out of the window an disappeared’ by Jonas Jonasson (the first book I ever read with a couple of murders that are actually funny, did you know that ou can commit murder by teaching an elephant to sit on cue 😉 ).
Furthermore I am reading Rolf Dobelli’s assays (The art of thinking clearly, and the Art of making the right decisions (something like that, the latter has ot been translated in English yet, apparently)
For some light relief (ahum) the final book of the circle of time (Fantasy, Robert Jordan) and – my absolute fav writer – there is always a discworld novel lying around, by Terry Pratchett.
And since at work I have to get a team of people on the right track; Managment drives is waiting on the table right now…
http://www.managementdrives.com/en/
Kerry M. says
Love many of the suggestions here! I’m a Harry Dresden fan, too. I also like Kim Harrison’s Rachel Morgan series which is similar but has a female protagonist. I also like the Chet and Bernie series, which I am pretty sure I first heard about from here a year or two ago.
Currently I’m working my way through possibility dogs. I love the voice. She strikes the perfect tone of awe and amusement with our dogs.
The best book I’ve read this spring is The First 20 minutes by Gretchen Reynolds. I honestly think it changed my life by changing how I think about health and fitness. She taught me less is just fine if that’s how you want to start, and small changes can really add up. I am much healthier now than I was two months ago and I hope to be better again two months from now.
Nic1 says
‘The Chimp Paradox’ by Dr Steve Peters. Steve Peters is a medic who practiced as a consultant in psychiatry for many years. He was also a keen amateur sportsman and has combined the two by working as the team psychotherapist for the British Cyling team, who have been immensely successful in the last ten years. A lot of the athletes credit him for helping them ‘box the chimp’ and for helping them how to manage their emotions during high stress periods. Having an interest in human psychology and behaviour in general, this was a fascinating and extremely useful read that anyone could benefit from, not just elite athletes.
I’ve just started ‘Changing Problem Behaviour’ by James O’Heare. It’s rather arid and academic which can make it tough to get going with it but it is certainly a good reference book.
‘The Emotional Brain’ by Joseph LeDoux is next on my reading list. This covers the nature of emotion and puts neurobiology centre stage as I understand.
Lucy says
Mary Roach has written several other books and they totally crack me up! I was reading “Bonk” on a road trip with my husband and he kept asking me to read the parts that had me giggling and chortling! She is smart, fearless, and so funny. I also loved her “Packing for Mars” which is about all the studies, experiments and preparations for sending people into space. Fascinating and also funny.
Jessica says
The Gifts of Imperfection led me to the rest of Brene Brown’s work – her videos, blog, and Daring Greatly. I think her work is critical to our health and the lessons learned from her research are so powerful, especially for educators (of any kind). They’ve had a profound effect on me and everyone I know who has read her work. May I suggest Patti Digh’s Life is a Verb? Her books and blogs have also opened me up and shifted my perspective. For me, the work of both of these authors go hand in hand.
L. Joy says
Good luck with Willie’s crate rest/rehab regiment! One of my dogs recently finished her rehab & crate rest from a psoas strain. It’s such a troublesome like muscle…
Jen says
From Mary Roach’s offerings, I have read “Bonk”, and also “Packing for Mars” and “Spook”. To date, “Stiff” is still her best one. “Gulp” is on my list, for sure, though. I’d also really like to read The Possibility Dogs.
Let’s see….I want to read
The Genius of Dogs
Silver Star by Jeanette Walls,
Joyland by Stephen King,
The Shepherds of Coyote Rock by Kat Urbigkit
Detroit, and American Autopsy by Charlie LeDuff
The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes
Play Together Stay Together by Karen London
Reinventing Bach by Paul Elie
(Going on a beach vacation soon, perhaps some of this reading will happen then. I read Lionel Shriver’s “Big Brother” last night. Like, stayed up past 3 reading it)
lin says
Susannah Charleson is coming to our area on a book tour in July — hooray! One of the things I admire about her is the same I admire about you: tender regard for both dogs and people.
“Overdressed: the shockingly high cost of cheap fashion” by Elizabeth Cline is “Fast Food Nation” for clothing like Target, H&M, Old Navy. Cline show how our search for the ‘good deal’ in clothes (and I’m certainly guilty of this) leads us to clothes buying habits that lead to immense amounts of waste and sweatshop labor. How the Catch-22 of our wanting something ‘new’ leads to a quick turnover of inventory and slipshod production. Her writing is not as excellent as Pollan’s, but it is a fascinating topic.
And if anyone is looking for a picture book for a 3-6 year old, I highly recommend “Dog in Charge” by K.L. Going. Dog is left to babysit 5 mischievous cats, who wreak havoc, but all’s well that ends well. The story is simple but well-structured, and Dan Santant’s rich, cartoony illustrations expand the story.
Arie Potuyt says
The ebook “Listening to Dogs” by Jon Katz is a very good book and worthwhile reading
Pike says
“Mink River” by Brian Doyle.
Though it took me several attempts to get into the book, it made it to the very top of my list when I finally got hooked. Wonderful storytelling about a coastal Oregon town and its – mostly – lovable and almost always odd inhabitants.
Brandy says
I’ve been lurking for a couple of months now; this is such a great blog and topic I had to jump in. I’m reading a recent biography of Abraham Lincoln by Michael Burlingame, and it is wonderful. I’m feeling inspired to find some of the books mentioned here, especially @Beth’s canine body language book. That sounds fascinating! I am a new dog owner (first time as an adult) and sometimes I know she’s trying to tell us something but I have no idea what it is. She’s a terrier, and smart, so I can see I’m going to have to give her lots to do to keep her from getting bored and destroying things :-O!
Debby says
The last book I read that I really enjoyed was Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s memoir, My Beloved World What a story she tells! I have many possibilities for good reads for the books all of you have suggested.
Thank you Trisha forgiving us this opportunity to share. I plan to order the CD version of The Possibility Dogs for my drive to and from work.
Vicky says
I LOVE to read and find it a great way to relax, so good recommendations are always appreciated even though it creates a bigger book pile in my bedroom, living room, etc. . . !! I just finished Pukka’s Promise by Ted Kerasote. If you love your dog, you will love this book! He covers a lot of ground, but his devotion for his canine partner is honest and heart-warming. It’s a wonderful read.
Susan Mann says
The Science of Consequences. Just started it, enjoying it so far.
And some fiction, of course. A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer- read it when it first came out, now doing a reread. History, Mystery, Science, and Romance all tied up in one book!
Laceyh says
I’ve just bought and am reading _Canine Body Language_ as recommended above. It’s great, and when I feel I’ve absorbed enough I’ll pass it on to the dog day care folks, so the price isn’t so bad.
Nic1 says
@Brandy. I also bought Brenda Aloff’s book when I first got my dog. It’s a really good reference book to have on your doggy shelf!
I also have to agree about ‘Pukka’s Promise’ – such a heart warming yet educational read. Lots of food for thought, although his chapter on shelter dog’s broke my heart. Pukka’s one lucky dog.
Justin Gates says
I’m currently reading Casualties of War by Bennett Coles and absolutely loving it so far. Coles attention to every last detail is a joy and perhaps attributed to his experience in the Canadian Navy. Virtues of War was excellent but this is even better. Absolute must read for fans of sci fi and military fiction. http://www.bennettrcoles.com/works/casualties-of-war
Rebecca C says
I read Stiff, Bonk, and Packing for Mars. Stiff has a permanent spot on our bookshelf, Packing for Mars is pretty good (though I read it much slower than Stiff, because it was a bit repetitive for me). Bonk, well, I read it once and gave it the library. There were interesting parts, but it just didn’t really hook me at all.
Love the book list, thanks for the reccs!
JJ says
Off Topic: I am re-watching the Lost In Translation video. In the first DVD, you mention using lavender on yourself (I think – if I remember correctly) and speculating on whether these scents might work well on dogs. I thought I would share a link to a short video that Dr. Greger did on some of the latest research on lavender. He not only shows some clinical support for use of the oil, but also some potential health problems that it can cause.
As you have so wisely said in the past, something that has the power to do good, also has the power to do harm. I point this out mostly because if people think of using lavender on their dogs because there has been shown or is believed to be a benefit similar to what humans experience, then maybe the potential health drawbacks would also apply to dogs and should be carefully considered.
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/lavender-for-generalized-anxiety-disorder/
Some Side Notes: Dr. Greger, who does the research and videos on NutritionFacts, includes links to papers that he sites under his videos. Also, note that this video is part of a 2-part series. If you want to learn more about some clinical research on lavender, you can click the next button on the right. Finally, Dr. Greger usually focuses on food studies. I highly recommend for everyone to use the site, looking up food and disease topics that interests you. The videos are fascinating. As an overview, you might check out his Uprooting The Leading Causes of Death video, which is longer than the usual 2-4 minutes, but has also been made available free on the site.
Marjorie says
Has anyone read “Chasing Dr. Dolittle”? I just heard an interview with the author and it sounds like such an interesting and important book in regards to animal behaviour.
Ghost Hunter says
The photos are absolutely stunning – I love the way that you get up real close to your subject and cut out the noise. I never knew a petal could be so absorbing and interesting as this. I somehow doubt I can get a high enough level of detail on my top-end amateur Panasonic Lumix. You have a clear talent here. I am obsessed with productivity and achievement, so all my reading tends to go on self-help. The closest I get to reading a novel is that I am dipping into “On Writing” by Stephen King. Misery is one of the only novels I’ve read, and it was recommended to me as a teen by my mother, who had read it in a book club. I was hooked, and I mean HOOKED, after only a few chapters. Because I’ve lived in Hong Kong for 5 short, but wonderful, months in my life, I tried with Noble House, by James Clavell. And I’ve tried a Wilbur Smith as well. I’ll look into the Dr Greger, but I’m currently on “The China Study”; The 4 Hour Body (this is the BEST book I’ve ever read in terms of how it has helped me shed 7.5kg in about 6 weeks over Christmas as well. Shall pop back later for sure – anything to put off the PhD longer. Best wishes, Sam (Ghost Hunter).
Ghost Hunter says
I should probably add that I also like Dr Steve Peters’ work. Considering he was my mentor at medical school, I feel a personal connection (even though I did not finish the course in the end, darn it — still wake up 10 years later having been back there at med school — oh the trauma!). I also rate: Richard Bandler – Using Your Brain For A Change amongst many others, and very much underrated, the original NLP research-eque books by his wife and her colleagues – namely Leslie-Cameron Bandler which are essentials in my view in understanding the very core of NLP – the books being: The Emprint Method; Know-How and Solutions (three books). More recently, of course, Hale Dwoskin’s ‘The Sedona Method’ might as well be called ‘Miracles if you use this’. I digress…