As a child, I knew that I would become a writer. But, first I became a biologist. After a 20 year career as a scientist, I stepped off the corporate ladder and turned my hobby into a second profession when I launched a dog training business (along with a Service Dog company a few years later.) Dogs and their people have been the focus of my life for the past twenty years. They have inspired me to author several books in that genre. My memoir, Shamaron: Dog Devoted, illuminates the many ways that dogs have coached me to become a better human; a gift for which I am truly grateful.
Love. Humor. Grief. Perseverance. Tragedy and loss. Yes, these are topics one might find beautifully detailed in many well-authored novels. This one is special because these human conditions are told from a dog’s perspective and it’s completely believable. The chronicles of Enzo’s existence are impeccably penned. Sharing his canine perspective with such realism is a feat of sheer mastery. Why? Because the lessons Stein strives to communicate are more palpable and poignant coming from an innocent and ego-less dog. We humans know we will never reach those virtues that dogs wear so effortlessly, and so we listen with a more open heart.
As an author, knowing that my readers hear what I’m trying to say is a highly ranked goal. Stein achieves that in this earnest story.
Soon to be a major motion picture, this heart-warming and inspirational tale follows Enzo, a loyal family dog, tells the story of his human family, how they nearly fell apart, and what he did to bring them back together.
Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: he thinks and feels in nearly human ways. He has educated himself by watching extensive television, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver. Through Denny, Enzo realizes that racing is a metaphor: that by applying the techniques a driver would apply on…
A few years ago, seeking inspiration for my next book, I revisited James Herriot’s work. As a kid, my already-keen love for animals was intensified through the colorful stories of this real-life English veterinarian. More so, I suspect my passion to become an author was awakened as I inhaled Herriot’s narratives which he articulates with great humility, humor, and wit. When I write, I strive to achieve those same, unassuming qualities. While this book isn’t specifically about dogs as our teachers, many of the true stories Harriot shares are about dogs (and their people) he meets during his exploits as a country vet. In the high-speed world in which we live, traveling back to a simpler, but not necessarily less complicated life can be enlightening.
A tie-in to the PBS Masterpiece series and Christmas special, available on streaming and home video.
All Creatures Great and Small is first volume in the multimillion copy bestselling series. Delve into the magical, unforgettable world of James Herriot, the world's most beloved veterinarian, and his menagerie of heartwarming, funny, and tragic animal patients.
For fifty years, generations of readers have flocked to Herriot's marvelous tales, deep love of life, and extraordinary storytelling abilities. For decades, Herriot roamed the remote, beautiful Yorkshire Dales, treating every patient that came his way from smallest to largest, and observing animals and humans alike…
I received this book as a present from someone with whom I shared my life’s journey. By the end of the first chapter, I understood the point of the gift. Both Katz and I left the security of a big city job to pursue our passion by moving to the country alongside our beloved Border Collies. We were both transformed through our experiences which we share in our books. We both credit our loyal dogs for most of the lessons we learned along the way. Katz narrates his successes and shortcomings in stories that are entertaining, honest, and heartfelt. That is why this book belongs on my list of ‘best books about dogs as our teachers.’
From the acclaimed author of A Good Dog, Dog Days, and Going Home comes this eBook original—a poignant memoir that celebrates Jon Katz’s beloved border collie, Rose, and their transformative years together on Bedlam Farm.
“I like to say you get the dog you need,” Jon Katz writes, “and I don’t think any human ever needed a dog more than I needed Rose in the fall of 2003.” That year, Katz embarked on a quixotic quest, moving from the suburbs of New Jersey to a sprawling farm in upstate New York to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. And…
Few authors who attempt it succeed in producing a book narrated by a dog. But, Cameron thrives at the task. As a professional trainer, I can get hung up on the step-by-step processes of teaching dogs so much so that I forget their true calling is to teach us (if we only listen.) This book’s objective is, in part, to remind us of that purpose. Dogs selflessly remind us about the qualities of absolute acceptance, compassion, and unconditional love. And yet, dogs experience conditions – sometimes harsh and painful ones - and Cameron uses those to prompt us on how to be better humans. This book is full of twists and turns, most of which are unexpected, entertaining, and thought-provoking.
This is the remarkable story of one endearing dog's search for his purpose over the course of several lives. More than just another charming dog story, "A Dog's Purpose" touches on the universal quest for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here? Surprised to find himself reborn as a rambunctious golden-haired puppy after a tragically short life as a stray mutt, Bailey's search for his new life's meaning leads him into the loving arms of 8-year-old Ethan. During their countless adventures Bailey joyously discovers how to be a good dog. But this life as a beloved…
I suppose it may seem cliché to suggest a book about Lassie – probably the most recognized dog in history – should grace my top five list. It was one of the first “big kid” books I read as a child and rereading it years later did not disappoint. First published in 1940, Lassie Come Home spurred movies and later television shows that entertained generations. This is the story of a dog’s triumph over tragedy as she continues her quest to get back home to the people she loves. The stories of how Lassie imparts her own wisdom upon the folks who help (and hinder) her travels are peppered throughout the book. That’s why I include Lassie Come Home on my list of best books about dogs as our teachers.
Sold in financial desperation to a wealthy duke living in the far north of Scotland, a collie undertakes a 1000-mile journey in order to be reunited with her former master in Yorkshire.
From her apartment in Chicago’s concrete jungle, Rogers begins her partnership with Shamaron, a Border Collie she never knew she wanted. After a single herding lesson and all the boot-sucking mud, criticism, and sheep dung it involved, a desire was born. She would train her new dog for herding trials. A decade later, and numerous triumphs and disappointing setbacks, she realizes that the dog she thought she was training was actually guiding and teaching her.
Based on real events, the colorful, intuitive, and unforgettable stories Rogers shares about her life with one, very special dog will validate all of your suspicions. Dogs are extraordinary spirits that coach us about life, devotion, compassion, and absolute acceptance. A heart-warming, captivating, and inspiring read.
My book is fantastical historical fiction about two characters who're wrestling with the monstrosity of their grief.
It takes you into London high society, where Ambrose tries to forget about how much he misses Bennett and how much he dreads becoming as cold as their Grandfather. It takes you to the family's country manor house, where Mattie isolates and old ghosts start to come out of the woodwork.
It's a story about loss and depression; it's a story about friends who don't let you walk through the valley of death alone.
Ambrose Bancroft returns to London society with his younger sister, hoping they'll leave ghosts of memory behind. They have only each other left. While Ambrose attempts to draw Mattie out, dragging her to balls and threatening to seek suitors for her, his sister recoils from his meddling. Finally, when Ambrose compels her to attend art class before she's ready, Mattie paints something horrific enough to banish them from society in public disgrace.
At Linwood Manor, Mattie and Ambrose aren't as alone as they think. Taking advantage of Mattie's desperate need to find freedom, a vanishing room lures Ambrose's sister into…
