Cat Book from a different perspective!

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Karen

The Cat Manual; Advice for Cats, by Cats

by Michael Ray Taylor

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Now, even just typing the title and author is tricky in this one, as Mr. Taylor claims just to be the translator of the book, while it’s actual author(s) remain secret, and lost to the mists of time. But the editors of this, the 4,973rd edition, are likely Cleo, Simba and Tony, cats belonging to Prof. Taylor’s family.

This is a fun eBook, and its subtitle is “Guidance for the Adult Feline Consigned to Live With Humans” which pretty much sets the tone for the whole thing. It includes chapters on things like “Heaviness” that explain a cat can willfully alter how much it weighs as it sleeps, to render the human on which it is sleeping increasing immobile, tips and instructions on training one’s humans about feeding (including altering the human’s schedule, waking the human, etc. Much of this, I suspect anyone who has lived with cat has suspected all along, but we never knew they had an actual Manual for this, did we!

I guarantee a lot of chuckles, and some “A ha! So that’s why …” moments to any readers who have ever lived with a feline, or thought they “owned” one. Fun, funny, and it will give you new insight into the minds of these “mysterious” creatures!

And yes, they cultivate that reputation deliberately. You knew that, didn’t you?
And as it is an eBook, the cat cannot tear up the pages – an advantage considering chapter on Reading!

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One of a Kind, Pretty and Delicious

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Karen

The Culinary Canine

by Kathryn Levy Feldman (writer), Sabina Louise Pierce (photographer)



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I received this book, and it was unlike anything I had ever seen! It is “The Culinary Canine,” and what it is is a combination of beautiful and useful, and an all-around fun idea. I know, you’re thinking “what the heck is she talking about?”


This is a combination cookbook and coffee-table book, all recipes FOR dogs, all done by famous, award-winning chefs who happen to be dog lovers. These are chefs whose names you have heard, ones who you have likely seen on TV if you are a fan of any Chef shows, and the fun part is we get to learn more about the people, as well as get a recipe from each. The dogs range from large to small, purebred to rescue, omnivores to dogs with sensitive tummies, and have notes about how much to feed your dog, based on size, etc.


As the book was the concept of photographer Sabina Pierce – well, inspired by her dog Maddie – the books is also full on stunning photographs, showing these big name food folks in an entirely different light. I mean Georges Perrier – yes, the world-renowned French chef – was one of the first to be on board with the project. His Isabelle, a Bichon Frise who understands both French and English, gets her food prepared at the restaurant, and frozen in individual portions, and has never eaten commercial dog food. And why would she, right?


Anita Lo, who was quite the formidable opponent on Top Chef Masters, seems so much softer pictured with her two Maltese in the basket of her bicycle – and you can tell they are accustomed to such treatment, too!


The recipes are all well-presented, none of it seems to daunting or complex, and lots of it looks like something you might want to sample for yourself! I, sadly, have many food allergies, but so do the dogs of some of these chefs, and so I’m betting you could find a recipe that would work for your pooch, no matter its requirements!


Writer Kit Feldman makes the stories that accompany each recipe and photo spread engaging and fun, and the book makes the point early on that cooking for your dog is probably the least intimidating way to begin, as the dog will likely enjoy it, whether or not it comes out exactly right! Most of the recipes look like they would be tasty for humans, too!


I got to interview Kit and Sabina on the radio, and they were as fun as the book is! And, in case you were wondering, the dogs were harder to photograph than the people, but you’d never know it from the images in the book. I reccomend this for anyone with a dog, but especially for those with dogs who like being a little spoiled … (isn’t that all of them)? It’s not only interesting, but gorgeous to flip through, too. Leave it on your end table, and visitors will be jealous of your dog!

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New Children’s book Classic

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Karen

Sammy in the Sky by Barbara Walsh, illustrations by Jamie Wyeth

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This is a wonderful children’s picture book that I would recommend for ny family with pets, regardless of the age of the kids. Even grownups will like this story, as it goes though the life of a family dog, and with simple, sweet illustrations that are not too cute or too childish, deal with the loss of a dog to old age.


The illustrations are by Jamie Wyeth – and yes, he’s one of THOSE Wyeths, grandson and son of NC and Andrew Wyeth. And as it turns out, he’s a dog lover, too, so when the author contacted him, he happily agreed to do the book.


The story is simple, sweet and deals with the death of a beloved hound, and how “his” girls and family deal with it. It is not at all depressing, or somber, and does not take any religious slant in particular. It’s just a gentle story that ends on a positive note, one that I think any child will like.


As so many families are spread apart geographically these days, children often don’t grow up near grandparents and older generations, so the death of a pet is their first experience with death. This book is the only one like it I have encountered, and is not at all pedantic, just straightforward and loving. Read it to child you love, even if it’s your own inner child!


And by the way, I got to interview the author on the radio, and you’ll be happy to know another hound dog, a rescue named Jack, was sitting in the car with her, as we did the interview while she was pulled over in the car!

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