Izzy And Lenore

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The Dog who Loved

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Random House
ISBN 13 : 1407081055
Total Pages : 172 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (7 download)

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Book Synopsis The Dog who Loved by : Jon Katz

Download or read book The Dog who Loved written by Jon Katz and published by Random House. This book was released on 2010-08-19 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As Izzy settles down to life on Bedlam Farm, Jon is amazed that all signs of the troubled rescue dog who first arrived have disappeared. More than this, the Border collie demonstrates an uncanny sensitivity to, and tenderness towards, humans who are troubled or ill. Izzy's unusual gift leads Jon off the farm and into new, extraordinary friendships, as they together begin volunteer hospice work. Izzy shows Jon what dogs can do for people at our most desperate times. But the work isn't easy, and Jon is reminded that at times he is needy himself. Enter Lenore, a glossy jet-black Labrador retriever puppy, whose seemingly boundless capacity for love reminds Katz why he'd come to the farm in the first place - and why he'd devoted so much of his life to working with dogs. The Dog who Loved is a moving and inspiring story of love, compassion, and the incredibly rich and complex relationships between dogs and humans. Please note, The Dog who Loved is the UK title for the book published in the US as Izzy and Lenore.

Izzy & Lenore

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Random House Trade Paperbacks
ISBN 13 : 0812977742
Total Pages : 242 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (129 download)

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Book Synopsis Izzy & Lenore by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Izzy & Lenore written by Jon Katz and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2009-08-18 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In this wonderful book, Jon Katz, the owner of Bedlam Farm, learns once again about the unexpected places animals can take us. As trained hospice volunteers visiting homes and nursing facilities in upstate New York, Katz and his affectionate and intuitive border collie Izzy bring comfort and canine companionship to people who most need it. An eighty-year-old Alzheimer’s patient smiles for the first time in months when she feels Izzy’s soft fur. A retired logger joyfully remembers his own beloved dog. As Izzy bonds with patients and Katz focuses on their families, the author begins to come to terms with his own life, discovering dark realities he has never confronted. Meanwhile, Lenore, a spirited, bright-eyed black Labrador puppy, arrives at Bedlam Farm. Her genial personality and boundless capacity for affection steer Katz out of the shadows, rekindle his love of working with dogs, and restore his connection to the farm and the animals and people around him.

Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Macmillan
ISBN 13 : 0805092196
Total Pages : 45 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (5 download)

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Book Synopsis Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Meet the Dogs of Bedlam Farm written by Jon Katz and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2011-04-26 with total page 45 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Introduces the dogs of Bedlam Farm that inspire the author's books.

Izzy & Lenore

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Villard
ISBN 13 : 0345509854
Total Pages : 177 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (455 download)

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Book Synopsis Izzy & Lenore by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Izzy & Lenore written by Jon Katz and published by Villard. This book was released on 2008-09-23 with total page 177 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Jon Katz's Going Home. In his previous books, New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz introduced us to the delightful menagerie at Bedlam Farm, including Izzy, the unforgettable border collie rescue. Now, in Izzy & Lenore, Katz delves deeper into his connection with the beautiful, once-abandoned dog, learning yet again about the unexpected places animals can take us. Affectionate and intuitive, Izzy is unlike any dog Katz has encountered, and the two undertake a journey Katz could not have imagined without the arrival of a new companion: a spirited, bright-eyed black Labrador puppy named Lenore. As trained hospice volunteers visiting homes and nursing facilities in upstate New York, Katz and Izzy bring comfort and canine companionship to people who most need it. An eighty-year-old Alzheimer’s patient smiles for the first time in months when she feels Izzy’s soft fur. A retired logger joyfully remembers his own beloved dog when he sees Izzy. As Izzy bonds with patients and Katz focuses on their families, the author begins to come to terms with his own life, discovering dark realities he has never confronted. Meanwhile, Lenore–quickly dubbed the Hound of Love–arrives at Bedlam. Her genial personality and boundless capacity for affection steer Katz out of the shadows, rekindle his love of working with dogs, and restore his connection to the farm and the animals and people around him. Humorous and deeply moving, Izzy & Lenore is a story of a man confronting his past, embracing the blessings of his current life, and rediscovering the meaning of friendship, family, and faith. Katz shares an uplifting tale of love, compassion, and the rich and complex relationships between dogs and their humans.

Going Home

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Villard
ISBN 13 : 0345529286
Total Pages : 193 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (455 download)

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Book Synopsis Going Home by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Going Home written by Jon Katz and published by Villard. This book was released on 2011-09-27 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this invaluable guide and touchstone, New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz addresses the difficult but necessary topic of saying goodbye to a beloved pet. Drawing on personal experiences, stories from fellow pet owners, and philosophical reflections, Katz provides support for those in mourning. By allowing ourselves to grieve honestly and openly, he posits, we can in time celebrate the dogs, cats, and other creatures that have so enriched us. Katz compels us to consider if we gave our pets good lives, if we were their advocates in times of need, and if we used our best judgments in the end. In dealing with these issues, we can alleviate guilt, let go, and help others who are undergoing similar passages. By honoring the animals that have graced our lives, we reveal their truly timeless gifts: unwavering companionship and undying love. With a brand-new Foreword by the author.

Lenore Finds a Friend

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Macmillan
ISBN 13 : 1250034329
Total Pages : 34 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (5 download)

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Book Synopsis Lenore Finds a Friend by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Lenore Finds a Friend written by Jon Katz and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2014-12-02 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents the story of misfit black lab Lenore, who is ignored by the unwelcoming and busy animals at Bedlam Farm until she playfully licks a grumpy ram with whom she forges an unlikely friendship.

Soul of a Dog

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Random House Trade Paperbacks
ISBN 13 : 0812977734
Total Pages : 210 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (129 download)

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Book Synopsis Soul of a Dog by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Soul of a Dog written by Jon Katz and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2010-05-04 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Do animals have souls? Some of our greatest thinkers—Aristotle, Plato, Thomas Aquinas—and countless animal lovers have been obsessed with this question for thousands of years. Now New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz looks for an answer. With his signature wisdom, humor, and clarity, Katz relates the stories of the animals he lives with on Bedlam Farm and finds remarkable kinships at every turn. Whether it is beloved sheepdog Rose’s brilliant and methodical herding ability, Mother the cat’s keen mousing instincts, or Izzy’s canine compassion toward hospice patients, Katz is mesmerized to see in them individual personas and sparks of self-awareness. Soul of a Dog will resonate with anyone who loves dogs, cats, or other animals—and who wonders about the spirits that animate them and the deepening hold they have on our lives.

Izzy and Lenore

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Villard Books
ISBN 13 : 1400066301
Total Pages : 198 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Izzy and Lenore by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Izzy and Lenore written by Jon Katz and published by Villard Books. This book was released on 2008 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author describes how Izzy, a dog with an uncanny sensitivity toward ill and troubled humans, led him to to take on the difficult but rewarding job of hospice volunteer, while his acquisition of Lenore, a Labrador puppy, helped him overcome depression.

The Second-Chance Dog

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Ballantine Books
ISBN 13 : 0345545559
Total Pages : 229 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (455 download)

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Book Synopsis The Second-Chance Dog by : Jon Katz

Download or read book The Second-Chance Dog written by Jon Katz and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2013-11-12 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz comes a wise, uplifting, and poignant memoir of finding love against all odds, and the power of second chances for both people and dogs. “I had no idea that Frieda would enter my life and alter it in the most profound way, but that’s one of the beautiful things about animals. They change you, and you almost never see it coming.” In 2007, a few years after purchasing Bedlam Farm in upstate New York, Jon Katz met Maria Wulf, a quiet, sensitive artist hoping to rekindle her creative spark. Jon, like her, was introspective yet restless, a writer struggling to find his purpose. He felt a connection with her immediately, but a formidable obstacle stood in the way: Maria’s dog, Frieda. A rottweiler-shepherd mix who had been abandoned by her previous owner in the Adirondacks, where she lived in the wild for several years, Frieda was ferociously protective and barely tamed. She roared and charged at almost anyone who came near. But to Maria, Frieda was sweet and loyal, her beloved guard dog and devoted friend. And so Jon quickly realized that to win over Maria, he’d have to gain Frieda’s affection as well. While he and Maria grew closer, Jon was having a tougher time charming Frieda to his side. Even after many days spent on Bedlam Farm, Frieda still lunged at the other animals, ran off into the woods, and would not let Jon come near her, even to hook on her leash. Yet armed with a singular determination, unlimited patience, and five hundred dollars’ worth of beef jerky, Jon refused to give up on Frieda—or on his chance with Maria. Written with stunning emotional clarity and full of warm yet practical wisdom, The Second-Chance Dog is a testament to how animals can make us better people, and how it’s never too late to find love. Praise for The Second-Chance Dog “No one speaks the language of a dog like best-selling author Jon Katz. His latest heartwarming memoir about finding love after struggling through a broken relationship . . . gives testament to how dogs can make us better human beings.”—The Free Lance–Star “[An] intimate story of falling in love with a woman and her extremely protective pet dog . . . Bittersweet in its telling, Katz reminds readers of the importance of human and animal connections.”—Kirkus Reviews “In this heartwarming story of love and redemption . . . dogs and humans alike get second chances at life, love, and growth. . . . This moving work is recommended for readers who want a true-life love story, for dog lovers seeking a book with a happy ending (the dog doesn’t die!), for seniors who think that receiving a Medicare card means that love is out of the question, and for dog trainers who want to learn more about Katz’s philosophy of dog training.”—Library Journal “The story [Katz] tells gives hope that no animal is beyond help, as long as enough love and patience are thrown in.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

The Story of Rose

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Ballantine Books
ISBN 13 : 0345542657
Total Pages : 218 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (455 download)

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Book Synopsis The Story of Rose by : Jon Katz

Download or read book The Story of Rose written by Jon Katz and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2012-08-06 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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 by his side was Rose, his unswervingly loyal and unflappable new dog. Whether herding sheep on the rolling hillsides, rounding up the neighbors’ stray cows, or rescuing lambs on a freezing winter night, Rose had a nimble mind and a great love for work. Never wanting to be coddled, she watched over Bedlam Farm with singular focus and efficiency, protecting Katz and his menagerie from wild coyotes and menacing storms. Yet Rose saved Katz in more ways than he ever imagined. As he struggled to manage the farm’s daily dramas—and continued to seek his true sense of purpose—Rose connected him to his deeper humanity and a more authentic life. With warmth, insight, and emotional honesty, Jon Katz has written a joyful remembrance of a one-of-a-kind dog. The Story of Rose reaffirms the profound bond people share with their pets, and the ways that animals indelibly shape our lives. “Jon Katz understands dogs as few others do, intuitively and unburdened by sentimentality. . . . With wisdom and grace, he unlocks the canine soul and the complicated wonders that lie within and offers powerful insights.”—John Grogan, author of Marley & Me Includes moving excerpts from Going Home, and from Jon Katz’s upcoming short-story collection, Dancing Dogs.

A Dog Year

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Villard
ISBN 13 : 1588361144
Total Pages : 150 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (883 download)

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Book Synopsis A Dog Year by : Jon Katz

Download or read book A Dog Year written by Jon Katz and published by Villard. This book was released on 2002-02-19 with total page 150 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Change loves me, defines and stalks me like a laser-guided smart bomb. It comes at me in all forms, suddenly and with enormous impact, from making shifts in work to having and raising a kid to buying a cabin on a distant mountaintop. Sometimes, change comes on four legs.” In his popular and widely praised Running to the Mountain, Jon Katz wrote of the strength and support he found in the massive forms of his two yellow Labrador retrievers, Julius and Stanley. When the Labs were six and seven, a breeder who’d read his book contacted Katz to say she had a dog that was meant for him—a two-year-old border collie named Devon, well bred but high-strung and homeless. Katz already had a full canine complement, but instinct overruled reason, and soon thereafter he brought Devon home. A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me is the story of how Devon and Jon—and Julius and Stanley—came to terms with each other. It shows how a man discovered a lot about himself through one dog (and then another) whose temperament seemed as different from his own as day is from night. It is a story of trust and understanding, of life and death, of continuity and change. It is by turns insightful, hilarious, and deeply moving. BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Jon Katz's Going Home.

Saving Izzy

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Random House
ISBN 13 : 0091932262
Total Pages : 286 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (919 download)

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Book Synopsis Saving Izzy by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Saving Izzy written by Jon Katz and published by Random House. This book was released on 2010 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Once again Jon finds himself challenged by a difficult dog. Izzy wants to go with Jon wherever he may be, and jumps fences and chews through locks to do so. Jon has been through this before with his dog Orson, and isn't sure he can cope with the responsibility and potential heartbreak again. But Jon's motley collection of animals--from Jesus the baby donkey to Elvis the surprisingly sociable steer, as well of course as farm manager and Border Collie Rose--is the perfect refuge for Izzy. As Izzy settles down to become the perfect companion, Jon realises just how much he too has learnt from life on the farm about patience, perseverance and love.

Talking to Animals

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1476795509
Total Pages : 212 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (767 download)

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Book Synopsis Talking to Animals by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Talking to Animals written by Jon Katz and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2017-05-02 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz—“a Thoreau for modern times” (San Antonio Express-News)—offers us a deeper understanding of the inner lives of animals and teaches us how we can more effectively communicate with them, made real by his own remarkable experiences with a wide array of creatures great and small. In Talking to Animals, journalist Jon Katz—who left his Manhattan life behind two decades ago for life on a farm where he is surrounded by dogs, cats, sheep, horses, cows, goats, and chickens—marshals his experience to offer us a deeper insight into animals and the tools needed for effectively communicating with them. Devoting each chapter to a specific animal from his life, Katz tells funny and illuminating stories about his profound experiences with them, showing us how healthy engagement with animals falls into five key areas: Food, Movement, Visualization, Language, and Instincts. Along the way, we meet Simon the donkey who arrives at Katz’s farm near death and now serves as his Tai Chi partner. We meet Red the dog who started out antisocial and untrained and is now a therapy dog working with veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. And we meet Winston, the dignified and brave rooster who was injured defending his hens from a hawk and who has better interpersonal skills than most humans. Thoughtful and intelligent, lively and powerful, this book will completely change the way you think about and interact with animals. Katz’s “honest, straightforward, and sometimes searing prose will speak to those who love animals, and might well convert some who do not” (Booklist).

Dancing Dogs

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Ballantine Books
ISBN 13 : 0345536169
Total Pages : 204 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (455 download)

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Book Synopsis Dancing Dogs by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Dancing Dogs written by Jon Katz and published by Ballantine Books. This book was released on 2012-09-25 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No one brings to life the remarkable bond between humans and their dogs like New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz. He has warmed our spirits with enchanting tales and keen observations of his animal menagerie—the dogs, sheep, chickens, and other residents of Bedlam Farm. Now, Katz is back with what he does best in his first collection of short stories, Dancing Dogs. With his signature insight and gift for storytelling, Katz shares sixteen stories about one of life’s most unique relationships: In the title story, a housekeeper loses her job, but discovers her four-legged “children” have some toe-tapping talents that just may get the whole family back on its feet. In “Puppy Commando,” a shy grade-school outcast forges an instant connection with a beagle puppy she meets at a shelter—and risks everything to keep him. “Gracie’s Last Walk” features a woman who must find a way to say goodbye to her beloved golden retriever—but ends up saying hello to someone unexpected. “The Dog Who Kept Men Away” shows that not all humans pass the “sniff” test when it comes to canines, who possess an excellent judge of character. And in “Guardian Angel,” a widower going through a painful transition finds the greatest comfort in the unlikeliest of sources—a funny-looking pug named Gus. Whether sitting, staying, and rolling over, in the barnyard, shelters, or home, sweet, home, the creatures in Dancing Dogs are genuinely inspiring and utterly memorable. Praise for Dancing Dogs “Funny, keenly observed short stories illuminating the bond between man and his best friend.”—People “Jon Katz writes with passion and humor about the connections between animals and humans. . . . Animal lovers are sure to want to add this book to their collection.”—Examiner.com “Katz’s stories, sometimes warm and sometimes funny, are smooth, light reads that are easy to pick up and enjoy and will appeal to dog lovers everywhere.”—Booklist “Insightful, moving . . . a tissue-box-worthy collection of animal tales.”—Kirkus Reviews “[A] heartwarming book.”—The Dallas Morning News

The Dogs of Bedlam Farm

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Random House Trade Paperbacks
ISBN 13 : 0812972503
Total Pages : 290 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (129 download)

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Book Synopsis The Dogs of Bedlam Farm by : Jon Katz

Download or read book The Dogs of Bedlam Farm written by Jon Katz and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2005-09-13 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Dogs are blameless, devoid of calculation, neither blessed nor cursed with human motives. They can’t really be held responsible for what they do. But we can.” –from The Dogs of Bedlam Farm When Jon Katz adopted a border collie named Orson, his whole world changed. Gone were the two yellow Labs he wrote about in A Dog Year, as was the mountaintop cabin they loved. Katz moved into an old farmhouse on forty-two acres of pasture and woods with a menagerie: a ram named Nesbitt, fifteen ewes, a lonely donkey named Carol, a baby donkey named Fanny, and three border collies. Training Orson was a demanding project. But a perceptive dog trainer and friend told Katz: “If you want to have a better dog, you will just have to be a better goddamned human.” It was a lesson Katz took to heart. He now sees his dogs as a reflection of his willingness to improve, as well as a critical reminder of his shortcomings. Katz shows us that dogs are often what we make them: They may have their own traits and personalities, but in the end, they are mirrors of our own lives–living, breathing testaments to our strengths and frustrations, our families and our pasts. The Dogs of Bedlam Farm recounts a harrowing winter Katz spent on a remote, windswept hillside in upstate New York with a few life-saving friends, ugly ghosts from the past, and more livestock than any novice should attempt to manage. Heartwarming, and full of drama, insight, and hard-won wisdom, it is the story of his several dogs forced Katz to confront his sense of humanity, and how he learned the places a dog could lead him and the ways a doge could change him.

A Good Dog

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Villard
ISBN 13 : 1588366189
Total Pages : 188 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (883 download)

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Book Synopsis A Good Dog by : Jon Katz

Download or read book A Good Dog written by Jon Katz and published by Villard. This book was released on 2006-11-28 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Jon Katz's Going Home. “People who love dogs often talk about a ‘lifetime’ dog. I’d heard the phrase a dozen times before I came to recognize its significance. Lifetime dogs are dogs we love in especially powerful, sometimes inexplicable ways.”–Jon Katz In this gripping and deeply touching book, bestselling author Jon Katz tells the story of his lifetime dog, Orson: a beautiful border collie–intense, smart, crazy, and unforgettable. From the moment Katz and Orson meet, when the dog springs from his traveling crate at Newark airport and panics the baggage claim area, their relationship is deep, stormy, and loving. At two years old, Katz’s new companion is a great herder of school buses, a scholar of refrigerators, but a dud at herding sheep. Everything Katz attempts– obedience training, herding instruction, a new name, acupuncture, herb and alternative therapies–helps a little but not enough, and not for long. “Like all border collies and many dogs,” Katz writes, “he needed work. I didn’t realize for some time I was the work Orson would find.” While Katz is trying to help his dog, Orson is helping him, shepherding him toward a new life on a two-hundred-year-old hillside farm in upstate New York. There, aided by good neighbors and a tolerant wife, hip-deep in sheep, chickens, donkeys, and more dogs, the man and his canine companion explore meadows, woods, and even stars, wade through snow, bask by a roaring wood stove, and struggle to keep faith with each other. There, with deep love, each embraces his unfolding destiny. A Good Dog is a book to savor. Just as Orson was the author’ s lifetime dog, his story is a lifetime treasure–poignant, timeless, and powerful.

Saving Simon

Author : Jon Katz
Publisher : Random House Trade Paperbacks
ISBN 13 : 0345531205
Total Pages : 225 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (455 download)

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Book Synopsis Saving Simon by : Jon Katz

Download or read book Saving Simon written by Jon Katz and published by Random House Trade Paperbacks. This book was released on 2015-08-04 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this heartfelt, thoughtful, and inspiring memoir, New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz tells the story of his beloved rescue donkey, Simon, and the wondrous ways that animals make us wiser and kinder people. In the spring of 2011, Jon Katz received a phone call that would challenge every idea he ever had about mercy and compassion. An animal control officer had found a neglected donkey on a farm in upstate New York, and she hoped that Jon and his wife, Maria, would be willing to adopt him. Jon wasn’t planning to add another animal to his home on Bedlam Farm, certainly not a very sick donkey. But the moment he saw the wrenching sight of Simon, he felt a powerful connection. Simon touched something very deep inside of him. Jon and Maria decided to take him in. Simon’s recovery was far from easy. Weak and malnourished, he needed near constant care, but Jon was determined to help him heal. As Simon’s health improved, Jon would feed him by hand, read to him, take him on walks, even confide in him like an old and trusted friend. Then, miraculously, as if in reciprocation, Simon began to reveal to Jon the true meaning of compassion, the ways in which it can transform our lives and inspire us to take great risks. This radically different perspective on kindness and empathy led Jon to a troubled border collie from Ireland in need of a home, a blind pony who had lived outside in a pasture for fifteen years, and a new farm for him and Maria. In the great tradition of heroes—from Don Quixote to Shrek—who faced the world in the company of their donkeys, Jon came to understand compassion and mercy in a new light, learning to open up “not just to Simon, not just to animals, but to the human experience. To love, to risk, to friendship.” With grace, warmth, and keen emotional insight, Saving Simon plumbs the depths of the bonds we form with our animals, and the rewards of “living a more compassionate, considered, and meaningful life.” Praise for Saving Simon “Heartwarming . . . a touching tale.”—USA Today “Highly recommended . . . an enjoyable and thoughtful work.”—Library Journal (starred review) “[Saving Simon] handles the emotional highs and lows of living with animals with empathy and thoughtfulness, forcing readers to re-examine their own meanings of compassion and mercy.”—Kirkus Reviews “The message of this true story will linger with the reader long after the book has been placed on the shelf.”—Bookreporter