- Table View
- List View
Does My Voice Matter?: A Journey of Self-Discovery, Authenticity, and Empowerment
by Cynthia JamesWe live in a critical and oftentimes violent world. People are afraid to talk about what they feel, think, or believe. They withhold energy for fear of being ridiculed, punished, or excluded. They hide their deepest dreams and desires away and cover them up with doubt, insecurity, old experiences, and fears. Cynthia James know this—because that was her experience. Covering seven decades of living, traveling, and growing, Does My Voice Matter? follows James&’s journey of self-discovery and authenticity as she gradually recognizes that she has a voice—and learns how to use it. She uses her own life experiences as a backdrop for her exploration of how the voice is used as a tool of engagement; how a singular or collective voice can enhance empowerment, transparency, and accountability; and, finally, how expression can develop new ideas, shift cultures, political views, transform organizations, create laws, and improve lives. Written for anyone who wants to discover the power within that makes them special, Does My Voice Matter? has a vital message: Uniqueness is your own glorious imprint on this planet, and it is calling you to come out. It doesn&’t matter if your awakening is large or small, it doesn&’t matter what your age, race, religion, or history is—anyone can begin right where they are, right now.
Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?: A Rock 'n' Roll Memoir
by Steven Tyler"I've been mythicized, Mick-icized, eulogized and fooligized, I've been Cole-Portered and farmer's-daughtered, I've been Led Zepped and 12-stepped. I'm a rhyming fool and so cool that me, Fritz the Cat, and Mohair Sam are the baddest cats that am. I have so many outrageous stories, too many, and I'm gonna tell 'em all. All the unexpurgated, brain-jangling tales of debauchery, sex & drugs, transcendence & chemical dependence you will ever want to hear." The son of a classical pianist straight out of the Bronx of old Archie comics, Steven Tyler was born to be a rock star. Weaned on Cole Porter, Nat King Cole, Mick-and his beloved Janis Joplin-Tyler began tearing up the streets and the stage as a teenager before finally meeting his "mutant twin" and legendary partner Joe Perry. In this addictively readable memoir, told in the playful, poetic voice that is uniquely his own, Tyler unabashedly recounts the meteoric rise, fall, and rise of Aerosmith over the last three decades and riffs on the music that gives it all meaning. Tyler tells what it's like to be a living legend and the frontman of one of the world's most revered and infamous bands-the debauchery, the money, the notoriety, the fights, the motels and hotels, the elevators, limos, buses and jets, the rehab. He reveals the spiritual side that "gets lost behind the stereotype of the Sex Guy, the Drug Guy, the Demon of Screamin', the Terror of the Tropicana." And he talks about his epic romantic life and his relationship with his four children. As dazzling, bold, and out-on-the-edge as the man himself, Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? is an all-access backstage pass into this extraordinary showman's life.
Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight?
by Dan BucatinskyIn 2005, Dan Bucatinsky and his partner, Don Roos, found themselves in an L.A. delivery room, decked out in disposable scrubs from shower cap to booties, to welcome their adopted baby girl--launching their frantic yet memorable adventures into fatherhood. Two and a half years later, the same birth mother--a heroically generous, pack-a-day teen with a passion for Bridezilla marathons and Mountain Dew--delivered a son into the couple's arms. In Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight? Bucatinsky moves deftly from sidesplitting stories about where kids put their fingers to the realization that his athletic son might just grow up to be straight and finally to a reflection on losing his own father just as he's becoming one. Bucatinsky's soul-baring and honest stories tap into that all-encompassing, and very human, hunger to be a parent--and the life-changing and often ridiculous road to getting there.his dawning realization that every single aspect of his life has been impacted by having children and strike the universal chords of child rearing, marriage, family, and growing older. Soul-bearing and honest, they pierce the boundaries of gender and sexual orientation while still managing to stay rooted to the heart of his story: the hunger to be a parent--and the life-changing road to becoming one.
Does This Church Make Me Look Fat?: A Memoir of Faith, Hope, and Love
by Rhoda JanzenWhat does it mean to give church a try when you haven't really tried since you were twelve? At the end of her bestselling memoir Mennonite in a Little Black Dress, Rhoda Janzen had reconnected with her family and her roots, though her future felt uncertain. But when she starts dating a churchgoer, this skeptic begins a surprising journey to faith and love.Rhoda doesn't slide back into the dignified simplicity of the Mennonite church. Instead she finds herself hanging with the Pentecostals, who really know how to get down with sparkler pom-poms. Amid the hand waving and hallelujahs Rhoda finds a faith richly practical for life--just in time for some impressive lady problems, an unexpected romance, and a quirky new family.Does This Church Make Me Look Fat? is for people who have a problem with organized religion, but can't quite dismiss the notion of God, and for those who secretly sing hymns in their cars, but prefer a nice mimosa brunch to church. This is the story of what it means to find joy in love, comfort in prayer, and--incredibly, surprisingly--faith in a big-hearted God.
A Dog Called Harry
by Jill BakerHow much do you think you could take? Try this: your husband dies suddenly and, weeks later, while you're still grieving, you're diagnosed with cancer. Would you keep fighting?Newspaper editor Jill Baker arrived home to find her husband George dead on the bedroom floor. Then - while still in shock - she was diagnosed with breast cancer and given odds on being alive in five years' time. Surgery, chemo and radiation therapy followed during Jill's extraordinary year from hell. It took a huge toll. Some days she barely recognised herself. When a doctor suggested a dog might heal her, Jill took a chance on her first wag. She needed something to make life worth living, but could that really be a crazy, snoring, howling, digging, chewing, barking, hipster 70s orange pup like Harry?Harry and Jill are an unlikely duo. Jill is quiet, Harry is loud as hell. Jill meticulously plans the day while Harry says let's wing it. She sips pinot while he's an espresso martini guy. Turns out Harry and Jill were made to be together. Theirs is a beautiful friendship, an unbreakable bond. A Dog Called Harry is the moving story of a dog dubbed Dirty Harry who helped Jill love life again.
A Dog Called Hope: The wounded warrior and the dog who dared to love him
by Damien LewisWhen special forces soldier Jason Morgan awoke from a months-long coma, he was told he'd never walk again. Discovered face-down in a Central American swamp after a jungle mission gone wrong, he had a smashed spine, collapsed lungs and countless broken bones. It was a miracle he'd even survived.Months of painful surgery followed, with Jason's life balanced on a knife-edge. Released from hospital in a wheelchair and plagued by memory loss, Jason's life fell apart. Left alone to raise his three infant sons, all hope seemed gone, until Jason met Napal, a handsome-as-hell black Labrador provided by a very special charity. With this one incredible dog at their side, Jason's life and that of his family would never be the same again. With Napal's help Jason was able to conquer his paralysis, eventually completing a marathon and winning numerous medals in the Wounded Warrior Games. More than that, this amazing service dog helped heal a family and taught Jason to be the father his kids needed him to be. A Dog Called Hope is the moving and heart-warming story of how Jason rediscovered his life's mission, his strength as a father and, through his beloved dog, his hope. It's the story of the closeness between one man and one dog like no other, and how this mesmerizing duo changed countless lives.Inspirational, tear-jerking and laugh-out-loud uplifting, this is a story that will brighten any day and warm every heart.
A Dog Called Hope: The wounded warrior and the dog who dared to love him
by Damien LewisWhen Special Ops soldier Jason Morgan was left crippled by a mission that went wrong, battling depression and wheelchair-bound, his wife left him, and overnight he became a paraplegic father with three young boys to raise. He had lost the two very things that defined him: his military service, plus his family and marriage. As the pain spiked to unbearable levels, he agreed to have surgery to block the pain. But the doctors' promises that he would keep his mobility proved misplaced. After the surgery the pain was less, yet he'd lost the ability to move his legs.It was then that Jason reached his lowest ebb. But it was then too that he heard about a not-for-profit call Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), one that specializes in providing service dogs to wounded veterans. Jason was convinced that his disability was serious enough to qualify him for a service dog, and that CCI had just the animal for him. Yet when he flew to their Oceanside, California facility to meet his dog, Jason had no idea how much his life was about to change. So low was he that he wished that the airplane carrying him would tumble out of the sky and bring it all to an end. After meeting his black Labrador service dog Napal, he would never do so again.This is the story of how Napal enabled Jason to rebuild his life, to reconnect with his family and to find true peace against all the odds.(P)2016 WF Howes Ltd
A Dog Called Hope: A Wounded Warrior and the Service Dog Who Saved Him
by Jason Morgan Damien LewisLone Survivor meets Marley & Me in this &“inspiring and very moving&” (Bear Grylls, host of the hit TV show Man vs. Wild) memoir of an extraordinary service dog whose enduring love brought a wounded soldier back to life.A decade ago, special forces warrior Jason Morgan parachuted into the Central American jungle on an antinarcotics raid. He&’d served with the famous Night Stalkers on countless such missions. This one was different. Months later, he regained consciousness in a U.S. military hospital with no memory of how he&’d gotten there. The first words he heard were from his surgeon telling him he would never walk again. The determined soldier responded, &“Sir, yes, I will.&” After multiple surgeries, unbearable chronic pain, and numerous setbacks, Morgan was finally making progress when his wife left him and their three young sons. He was a single father confined to a wheelchair and tortured by his pain. At this very dark, very low point, Morgan found light: Napal, the black Labrador who would change his life forever. A Dog Called Hope is the incredible story of a service dog who brought a devastated warrior back from the brink and taught him how to be a true father. It is the story of Napal, who built bridges between his wheelchair-bound battle buddy and the rest of able-bodied humankind. It is the story of Jason, who found life&’s true meaning with the help of his faithful companion. Humorous, intensely moving, and uplifting, Jason and Napal&’s heartwarming tale will brighten any day and lift every heart.
A Dog called Perth: The Voyage of a Beagle
by Peter MartinThe moving true story of Perth the beagle.'Perth was a dog larger than life. She bought us adventure, drama and joy. She changed us forever.' From the instant they spotted the forlorn puppy in the kennel, Cindy and Peter Martin knew she was the one for them. Refusing to remain a mere pet, Perth becomes an adored member of the household - fiercely loyal, impossibly intelligent and totally trusting. The Martins swear to always let Perth run free, and she becomes an indefatigable explorer with an infallible compass. From the woods and lakes of upstate New York and her incredible survival in the wilderness of Vermont to her later adventures in the English countryside, Perth rewards the Martins with unshakable trust and unstinting love.This is an entertaining, beautifully written homage to a very special canine heroine that will bring tears to the eyes of dog lovers everywhere.
A Dog called Perth: The Voyage of a Beagle
by Peter MartinThe moving true story of Perth the beagle.'Perth was a dog larger than life. She bought us adventure, drama and joy. She changed us forever.' From the instant they spotted the forlorn puppy in the kennel, Cindy and Peter Martin knew she was the one for them. Refusing to remain a mere pet, Perth becomes an adored member of the household - fiercely loyal, impossibly intelligent and totally trusting. The Martins swear to always let Perth run free, and she becomes an indefatigable explorer with an infallible compass. From the woods and lakes of upstate New York and her incredible survival in the wilderness of Vermont to her later adventures in the English countryside, Perth rewards the Martins with unshakable trust and unstinting love.This is an entertaining, beautifully written homage to a very special canine heroine that will bring tears to the eyes of dog lovers everywhere.
Dog Church
by Gail GilmoreDoes saving a life always mean preserving it, or does it sometimes mean letting go? When Gail Gilmore's beloved dog Chispa is diagnosed with Canine Cognitive Dysfunction, her first instinct is to do everything possible to bring the symptoms of this neurologically debilitating condition under control. But treatments fail, and Chispa's symptoms worsen. Faced with emotionally complicated questions and difficult ethical decisions, Gail repeatedly visits the one place where she believes she might find the spiritual guidance and wisdom needed to make the best choice for Chispa—a tiny, extraordinary church in St. Johnsbury, Vermont called the Dog Chapel. Within the chapel, its walls deeply layered with overlapping photographs and notes from thousands of previous visitors to dogs loved and lost, Gail finds both answers and peace in the wise words of the unknown people she comes to consider her tribe. A story of unconditional love and devotion, Dog Church is also a story of finding comfort in faith and the ways in which the emotional threads of love and grief can bind complete strangers together for brief moments in time in ways that are ultimately life-changing.
Dog Days: Life in Lockdown with Olive & Mabel
by Andrew CotterJoin two of the internet's favorite dogs and their owner, sports broadcaster Andrew Cotter, as he shares journal entries from life during the pandemic lockdown.Are you sitting nicely? Good. Let's discover exactly what happened after two superstar Labradors chewed up the lockdown internet and found it really quite tasty.He's not kept a journal for decades but here, in Dog Days, Andrew Cotter draws inspiration from the great Samuel Pepys; like him, he bears witness to the extraordinary everyday as the world tilts on its axis in our own unsettling era.And so, with Olive and Mabel at his side—actually, dawdling in the long grass or sleeping upside down—Andrew takes a clear-eyed, often hilarious walk through a year that encompasses all of life from the crushingly mundane to the decidedly odd.Followed by whispers of "Is that really Olive and Mabel?"—not to mention the occasional Hollywood approach—the three of them pad around literary festivals, breakfast TV, live radio, and even an appearance on Good Morning America. Slightly bemused by their fame, Andrew not only pitches up in the iconic Mastermind chair, but makes a return to sports broadcasting to find that it has become rather strange as well.But, always, his pair of utterly endearing, endlessly optimistic and eternally hungry canine companions show just how precious our time is. Especially our time spent in the devoted company of dogs. For fans new and old, this witty, insightful account of a year like no other is an unmissable treat.
Dog Days
by Aidan Higgins'Tired of walking in the dream I have returned to the country where I was born half a century ago' - The Higgins family is now dispersed; the third son of four brothers is himself the father of three sons in a family also dispersed, and our author 'looking for the quietness that Julian Sorel found in prison. ' he finds this problematical peace, sharing a bungalow near Brittas in Co Wicklow in an awkward two year tenancy with a school mistress with back back trouble. DOG DAYS is an account of those two years, with flashbacks to previous diaries that reveal a murky Dublin of whores and Provo killing, a raindrenched Connemara.
Dog Days
by Jon KatzBONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Jon Katz's Going Home.In Dog Days, Jon Katz, the squire of Bedlam Farm, allows us to live our dreams of leaving the city for the country, and shares the unpredictable adventure of farm life. The border collies, the sheep, the chickens, the cat, the ram, and one surprisingly sociable steer named Elvis all contribute to the hum (and occasional roar) of Bedlam. On timeless summer days and in punishing winter storms, Katz continues his meditation on what animals can selflessly teach us-and what we in turn owe to them. With good neighbors, a beautiful landscape, and tales of true love thrown in, Dog Days gives us not only marvelous animal stories but a rich portrait of the harmonious world that is Bedlam Farm. Praise for Dog Days: "Anyone who has ever loved an animal, who owns a farm or even dreams of it, will read Dog Days with appreciation and a cathartic lump in his or her throat." -The Washington Post "Katz proves himself a Thoreau for modern times as he ponders the relationships between man and animals, humanity and nature, and the particularly smelly qualities of manure." -Fort Worth Star-Telegram "Katz constructs the perfect blend between self-revelation and his subtle brand of humor." -The Star-Ledger "City-dweller-turned-farmer Katz . . . returns with further adventures from his animal-filled upstate New York sheep farm. Charming." -People "The perfect summer book . . . You will not be disappointed." -The Philadelphia Inquirer "A new twist on the American dream." -The Christian Science Monitor "Thoroughly enchanting." -The Dallas Morning News
Dog Days in Andalucía: Tails from Spain
by Jackie ToddIt was love at first sight: the huge pale-green eyes, the ruffled tawny hair and the cute way he held his head to one side. What really swung it, though, was his feet being way too big for his body, his ears too big for his head and that, while trying to look brave, he was obviously terrified. Charly was the first of what grew to be a large family of abandoned Spanish dogs taken in by Jackie Todd and her husband Stephen after they emigrated in 1997 to Frigiliana, a picturesque Spanish village in Andalucia. By the time Charly was four, something magical had happened: the people of the village had become close friends and the Todds' memories of their old lives were as weak as British sunshine.Fourteen years on from that first arrival they have ten dogs and eight cats of their own and regularly foster tiny strays that need bottle-feeding until they can be found homes. In 2007, 123 puppies and kittens passed through their door; in 2008, it was 119; and the tragic procession continues today.Millions of people dream of turning their summer holiday into permanent reality. Dog Days in Andalucía is the heart-warming and inspirational story of an ordinary British couple who did just that, making a mighty impression on the village, its people and its surrounding animal population along the way.
Dog Days, Raven Nights
by John M. Marzluff Colleen MarzluffTwenty years ago, fresh out of graduate school and recently married, John and Colleen Marzluff left Arizona for a small cabin in the mountains of western Maine. Their mission: to conduct the first-ever extensive study of the winter ecology of the Common Raven under the tutelage of biologist Bernd Heinrich. Drawing on field notes and personal diaries, they vividly and eloquently chronicle their three-year endeavor to research a mysterious and often misunderstood bird--assembling a gigantic aviary, climbing sentry trees, building bird blinds in the forest, capturing and sustaining 300 ravens as study subjects, and enduring harsh Maine winters in pursuit of their goal. They also shared the unique challenges and joys of raising, training, and racing the sled dogs that assisted them in their work. Accompanied by Evon Zerbetz's lovely linocut illustrations, Dog Days, Raven Nightsis a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the adventures of field science and an insightful exploration of the nature of relationships, both animal and human.
Dog Daze and Cat Naps: A Vet Student's Odyssey
by Mark E. BurgessA young student embarks upon a four-year odyssey through veterinary school. His fictional adventures--and humorous misadventures--will keep every reader chilled, thrilled, and chuckling out loud. Funny and poignant, smart and silly--and quite simply a really great read.
Dog Flowers: A Memoir
by Danielle GellerA daughter returns home to the Navajo reservation to retrace her mother&’s life in a memoir that is both a narrative and an archive of one family&’s troubled history &“An honest, intimate, and heart-wrenching memoir that explores the fractured family, the damaging effects of alcoholism and poverty, and what it means to seek healing from the legacies of trauma.&”—Kali Fajardo-Anstine, author of the National Book Award finalist Sabrina & Corina When Danielle Geller&’s mother dies of alcohol withdrawal during an attempt to get sober, Geller returns to Florida and finds her mother&’s life packed into eight suitcases. Most were filled with clothes, except for the last one, which contained diaries, photos, and letters, a few undeveloped disposable cameras, dried sage, jewelry, and the bandana her mother wore on days she skipped a hair wash. Geller, an archivist and a writer, uses these pieces of her mother&’s life to try and understand her mother&’s relationship to home, and their shared need to leave it. Geller embarks on a journey where she confronts her family's history and the decisions that she herself had been forced to make while growing up, a journey that will end at her mother's home: the Navajo reservation. Dog Flowers is an arresting, photo-lingual memoir that masterfully weaves together images and text to examine mothers and mothering, sisters and caretaking, and colonized bodies. Exploring loss and inheritance, beauty and balance, Danielle Geller pays homage to our pasts, traditions, and heritage, to the families we are given and the families we choose.
Dog House
by Carol PrisantDog House wasn't supposed to be a book about love. It was supposed to be a hugely funny account of the dogs in Carol Prisant's life. And not just the dogs, but that first bird she found at Woolworth's, the monkey that fell in love with her husband's leg, the thankless tiny turtle, and the goldfish her pet- challenged mother flushed down the toilet. Somehow though, this straightforward telling got a little blindsided by things like making marriage work and home- owning and children and a profession and her dear, supportive husband, Millard. Which is why the goldfish will just have to wait for the sequel. This book is still about cold noses, warm bellies, four on the floor, and a snuggler or two. Your basic fur family. It's also about the love of a mother for her son, a wife for her husband, a husband for some dogs, and the love it takes to make a haunted house a home. Your basic family furnisgings. Throw in a lot of antiques, a couple triumphs over adversity, and a more-than-seems-fair share of heartbreaking loss and you have Dog House--the warm, absorbing, and humorous tale of dogs and marriage, love and marriage and life.
A Dog in a Hat: An American Bike Racer's Story of Mud, Drugs, Blood, Betrayal, and Beauty in Belgium
by Joe ParkinIn 1987, Joe Parkin was an amateur bike racer in California when he ran into Bob Roll, a pro on the powerhouse Team 7-Eleven. "Lobotomy Bob" told Parkin that, to become a pro, he must go to Belgium. Riding along a canal in Belgium years later, Roll encountered Parkin, who he saw as "a wraith, an avenging angel of misery, a twelve-toothed assassin". Roll barely recognized him. Belgium had forged Parkin into a pro bike racer, and changed him forever. A Dog in a Hat is Joe's remarkable story. Leaving California with a bag of clothes, two spare wheels, some cash, and a phone number, Parkin left the comforts of home for the windy, rainswept heartland of European cycling. As one of the first American pros in Europe, Parkin was what the Belgians call "a dog with a hat on" -- something familiar, yet decidedly out of place. Parkin lays out the hard reality of the life--the drugs, the payoffs, the betrayals by teammates, the battles with team owners for contracts and money, the endless promises that keep you going, the agony of racing day after day, and the glory of a good day in the saddle. A Dog in a Hat is the unforgettable story of the un-ordinary education of Joe Parkin and his love affair with racing, set in the hardest place in the world to be a bike racer. It is a story untold until now, and one that you will never forget.
A Dog in a Million: My Life with Connie
by Hazel CarterHazel Carter's home-help tidies the house, does the washing and helps with the cooking, and the only payment she requires is a nice big bowl of dog food at dinner time ... When Hazel was debilitated with crippling back problems, she found herself unable to look after the house so she used her skills as an animal behaviourist to teach Connie, her seven-month-old Newfoundland, how to do the work instead. Connie picks out items of dirty clothing from the laundry basket and places them inside the washing machine. When the washing cycle is over, Connie transfers the clean clothes to the tumble dryer. Hazel could leave Connie to complete the entire task unsupervised - if only Connie understood that dark colours must not be washed with whites. Connie also works in the garden, brings in the shopping and is happy to do anything from carefully carrying a basket of eggs to pulling Hazel along in a boat. 'At one stage all I could do was lie in bed and Connie would bring me a toy from her toy box for me to throw as I lay there. She quickly learnt that to have a game she must first bring her toy to me, a very valuable lesson. My idea was to keep her occupied and mentally stimulated while helping me at the same time.' Underlying the story of this remarkable dog is a remarkable relationship with a remarkable woman: Hazel Carter. For almost thirty years she has been helping owners to understand and cure their dogs' behavioural problems with patience, gentleness and kindness.
Dog Is My Copilot: Rescue Tales of Flying Dogs, Second Chances, and the Hero Who Might Live Next Door
by Patrick ReganTrue stories of dogs rescues by a national organization of volunteer pilots who fly pets to their new forever homes.Since 2008, an unlikely alliance of volunteer pilots and animal rescue enthusiasts has worked together to save thousands of death-row dogs by flying them to safe havens and better lives. Through two dozen accounts of real life animal rescues, Dog Is My Copilot tells the inspiring story of Pilots N Paws, America’s most unique and high-flying animal rescue organization. Founded “accidentally” when a private pilot offered to fly a mission of mercy to save an abused dog for a friend, Pilots N Paws has grown to include thousands of pilots who have transported tens of thousands of dogs slated for euthanasia (and a fair amount of cats and other animals), sometimes more than 1,000 miles away to new homes or no-kill shelters, where they have a much higher chance of adoption. These short, captivating stories are accompanied by more than 100 charming, poignant, color photos—most taken by the pilots themselves—of their canine passengers in flight. Unexpected things can happen when dogs reach cruising altitude, and the stories in Dog Is My Copilot run the emotional range from hilarious to heart rending—but the endings are always happy. These dogs are the lucky ones, and most of the pilots will tell you that when they get on the plane, they know it. After all, waiting for them on the ground hundreds of miles away is a second chance at a happy life with a loving forever family.Dog Is My Copilot—it's Chicken Soup for the Soul meets Marley and Me . . . with just a dash of The Right Stuff. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the Pilots N Paws organization.
The Dog Lived (and So Will I)
by Teresa J. RhyneTeresa Rhyne had a new boyfriend, new dog, and a new outlook on life. But shortly after she adopted Seamus, a totally incorrigible beagle, Teresa was told he had a malignant tumor and less than a year to live. The diagnosis came as a devastating blow to Teresa, forcing her to learn everything about the treatment. She couldn't have possibly known then that she was preparing herself for life's next hurdle - a cancer diagnosis of her own. Following Seamus's lead, she forged ahead with survival...learning a few things about love as well.
Dog Man
by Martha SherrillThis is the story of how one man's consuming passion for dogs saved a legendary breed from extinction and led him to a difficult, more soulful way of life in the wilds of Japan's remote snow country As Dog Man opens, Martha Sherrill brings us to a world that Westerners know very little about - the snow country of Japan during World War II. In a mountain village, we meet Morie Sawataishi, a fierce individualist who has chosen to break the law by keeping an Akita dog hidden in a shed on his property. During the war, the magnificent and intensely loyal Japanese hunting dogs were donated to help the war effort, eaten, or used to make fur vests for the military. By the time of the Japanese surrender in 1945, there were only sixteen Akitas left in the country. The survival of the breed became Morie's passion and life - almost a spiritual calling. Devoted to the dogs, Morie is forever changed. His life becomes radically unconventional - almost preposterous - in ultra-ambitious, conformist Japan. For the dogs, Morie passes up promotions, bigger houses, and prestigious engineering jobs in Tokyo. Instead, he raises a family with his young wife, Kitako - a sheltered urban sophisticate - in Japan's remote and forbidding snow country. Their village is isolated, but interesting characters are always dropping by - dog buddies, in-laws from Tokyo, and a barefoot hunter who lives in the wild. Due in part to Morie's perseverance and passion, the Akita breed strengthens and becomes wildly popular, sometimes selling for millions of yen. Yet Morie won't sell his spectacular dogs. He only likes to give them away. Morie and Kitako remain in the snow country today, living in the traditional Japanese cottage they designed together more than thirty years ago - with tatami mats, an overhanging roof, a deep bathtub, and no central heat. At ninety-four years of age, Morie still raises and trains the Akita dogs that have come to symbolise his life. In beautiful prose that is a joy to read, Martha Sherrill opens up the world of the dog man and his wife, providing a profound look at what it is to be an individualist in a culture that reveres conformity - and what it means to live life in one's own way, while expertly revealing Japan and Japanese culture as we've never seen it before.
Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me From Myself
by Julie BartonAn honest and deeply moving debut memoir about a young woman's battle with depression and how her dog saved her life "Dog Medicine simply has to be your next must-read." --Cheryl Strayed At twenty-two, Julie Barton collapsed on her kitchen floor in Manhattan. She was one year out of college and severely depressed. Summoned by Julie's incoherent phone call, her mother raced from Ohio to New York and took her home. Haunted by troubling childhood memories, Julie continued to sink into suicidal depression. Psychiatrists, therapists, and family tried to intervene, but nothing reached her until the day she decided to do one hopeful thing: adopt a Golden Retriever puppy she named Bunker. Dog Medicine captures the anguish of depression, the slow path to recovery, the beauty of forgiveness, and the astonishing ways animals can help heal even the most broken hearts and minds.