Homer's Odyssey
by Sam Mazzotta
This fall’s pet books are robust and entertaining, and even well-known authors from the other end of the bookshelf are chiming in.
A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned a book, “Don’t Dump the Dog” by Randy Grim, that offered advice on dealing with common but annoying behaviors from dogs. Frustrated owners may also want to check out “High-Energy Dogs: A Practical Guide to Living With Energetic and Driven Canines,” by Tracy Libby (TFH Publications). Dogs like Australian shepherds, Jack Russell terriers and Basenjis can be a real handful, especially for the inexperienced owner, and it’s all too easy to become frustrated with a spirited puppy. This colorful guide discusses characteristics of several high-energy, intelligent breeds and walks owners through methods of understanding and training such dogs.
“Homer’s Odyssey,” by Gwen Cooper (Delacorte Press), is an account of life with the “blind wonder cat,” as Cooper describes the kitten she adopted at a Miami veterinarian’s office. Expectations aren’t high for Homer, who lost his eyes at just three weeks of age, but the kitten grows into an independent daredevil. It’s a charming story, and a nice weekend read.
Finally, novelist Dean Koontz has taken his first step into nonfiction and pet writing with his memoir, “A Big Little Life” (Hyperion). Koontz recounts the joys of life with Trixie, a retired service dog with Canine Companions for Independence and the first dog he had ever owned. “A Big Little Life” is a big little diversion from his intense works of fiction, and a welcome new voice to pet memoirs. Pick up his and all this month’s releases at your local bookstore or online.
