Book picks similar to
Bailey, No Ordinary Cat by Erin Merryn
animals
non-fiction
nonfiction
biography-memoir
Thunder Dog: The True Story of a Blind Man, His Guide Dog, and the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero
Michael Hingson - 2011
Trust. Triumph.I trust Roselle with my life, every day. She trusts me to direct her. And today is no different, except the stakes are higher. Michael HingsonFirst came the boom the loud, deep, unapologetic bellow that seemed to erupt from the very core of the earth. Eerily, the majestic high-rise slowly leaned to the south. On the seventy-eighth floor of the World Trade Center's north tower, no alarms sounded, and no one had information about what had happened at 8:46 a.m. on September 11, 2001. What should have been a normal workday for thousands of people. All that was known to the people inside was what they could see out the windows: smoke and fire and millions of pieces of burning paper and other debris falling through the air.Blind since birth, Michael couldn't see a thing, but he could hear the sounds of shattering glass, falling debris, and terrified people flooding around him and his guide dog, Roselle. However, Roselle sat calmly beside him. In that moment, Michael chose to trust Roselle's judgment and not to panic. They are a team.Thunder Dog allows you entry into the isolated, fume-filled chamber of stairwell B to experience survival through the eyes of a blind man and his beloved guide dog. Live each moment from the second a Boeing 767 hits the north tower, to the harrowing stairwell escape, to dodging death a second time as both towers fold into the earth.It's the 9/11 story that will forever change your spirit and your perspective. Thunder Dog illuminates Hingson's lifelong determination to achieve parity in a sighted world, and how the rare trust between a man and his guide dog can inspire an unshakable faith in each one of us.
My Animals and Other Family
Clare Balding - 2012
By the time I was ten I had discovered the pain of unbearable loss. I had felt joy and jealousy. Most important of all, I knew how to love and how to let myself be loved. All these things I learnt through animals. Horses and dogs were my family and my friends. This is their story as much as it is mine'Clare Balding grew up in a rather unusual household. Her father a champion trainer, she shared her life with more than 100 thoroughbred racehorses, mares, foals and ponies, as well as an ever-present pack of boxers and lurchers. As a toddler she would happily ride the legendary Mill Reef and take breakfast with the Queen.She and her younger brother came very low down the pecking order. Left to their own devices, they had to learn life's toughest lessons through the animals, and through their adventures in the stables and the idyllic Hampshire Downs. From the protective Candy to the pot-bellied Valkyrie and the frisky Hattie, each horse and each dog had their own character and their own special part to play.The running family joke was that "women ain't people". Clare had to prove them wrong, to make her voice heard - but first she had to make sure she had something to say.My Animals and Other Family is a funny, brave, tender story of self- discovery.
All Black Cats are Not Alike
Amy Goldwasser - 2016
This pitch-perfect illustrated book proves this simple fact by diving whiskers first into the unique personality, charisma, and character of 50 real all-black cats. From Alfie, who "has no tolerance for wet humans or being ignored," to Sashi, who "enjoys freeze-dried chicken by candlelight and full-on body rubs," each cat comes to life through a lovingly hand-drawn portrait and quick-witted profile. Delightfully quirky and utterly charming, this motley crew of black cats will win over anyone with a dry sense of humor.
Crusoe, the Worldly Wiener Dog: Further Adventures with the Celebrity Dachshund
Ryan Beauchesne - 2018
You'll also get to see a little of his "staycations" and life at home between travels.Jet-setting is what dachshunds do best. From Switzerland’s Alps and Mexico’s Mayan temples to Italy’s seaside villages and France’s Eiffel Tower—as well as various locales throughout the U.S. and Canada—Crusoe shares his wit and wisdom on appreciating culture, fine wine, and haute cuisine, always dressing for the occasion, and maybe learning a thing or two about what really matters most in life along the way.In hundreds of brilliant color photographs, see the charming and charismatic mini-doxie embark on such thrilling adventures as…* Hitting the streets of New York City as The Wiener of Wall Street* Stalking evildoers as Batdog * Strolling Hollywood’s Walk of Fame (with his own star)* Going out on a dinner and movie date with the lovely Paisley* Digging for fossils at Dinosaur Provincial Park* Playing doctor and dentist to his sidekick brother, Oakley* Drinking at the notorious Bar Vitelli, shooting location of The Godfather* Recovering from back surgery with lots of love and rehabilitating in style * Tasting a beignet at New Orleans’s famous Café du Monde* Exploring his German heritage as a “badger dog”—and discovering what wiener schnitzel actually is…And so much more!
A Gull on the Roof
Derek Tangye - 1961
Before people started writing about their tedious years in Provence or Tuscany or wherever, Derek Tangye and his wife gave up their urbane sophisticated life in London to move to a run down roofless cottage in Cornwall (that they could only lease, not buy) to earn a living from the land farming flowers - daffodils and violets - and potatoes in the 1950s!The early part of the book has fascinating details about cultivating flowers and potatoes on sloping fields near a cliff edge throughout the capricious and unpredictable Cornish seasons, dealing with potato salesmen, local farmers and getting the flowers on to the British Rail flower train. It sounds hideously boring, but bizarrely it's incredibly readable.You learn a lot about how much the UK has changed in the past 50 years or so and how places like Cornwall were in massive decay after the war. It's a great book to read if you're going down to Cornwall for a holiday and great to read if you want to get away in your mind at least from the grind of city life and dream about a simple, but very hard, life surrounded by nature and some lovely animals.
If You Ask Me (And of Course You Won't)
Betty White - 2011
Drawing from a lifetime of lessons learned, seven-time Emmy winner Betty White's wit and wisdom take center stage as she tackles topics like friendship, romantic love, aging, television, fans, love for animals, and the brave new world of celebrity. If You Ask Me mixes her thoughtful observations with humorous stories from a seven- decade career in Hollywood. Longtime fans and new fans alike will relish Betty's candid take on everything from her rumored crush on Robert Redford (true) to her beauty regimen ("I have no idea what color my hair is and I never intend to find out") to the Facebook campaign that helped persuade her to host Saturday Night Live despite her having declined the hosting job three times already. Featuring all-new material, with a focus on the past fifteen years of her life, If You Ask Me is funny, sweet, and to the point-just like Betty White.
The Blessing of the Animals: True Stories of Ginny, the Dog Who Rescues Cats
Philip González - 1997
This canine crusader's uncanny ability to find and rescue stray cats has melted hearts from coast to coast, generating massive media attention, making her the top dog in the talk-show circuit and winning her a host of humanitarian awards. The Blessing of the Animals lets fans catch up on Ginny's latest adventures. Her newfound fame hasn't diminished her selfless devotion to her feline friends, and since the publication of her first book, she's carried out some of her most incredible rescues yet. In one episode, she burrows frantically through a container filled with broken glass, badly cutting her paws, to expose a tiny injured kitten. Sure to warm the hearts of all who read it, this unforgettable reading experience makes the perfect stocking stuffer, Valentine's Day keepsake or all-around feel-good gift for animal lovers everywhere.Many thousands of readers have shared in the joy and compassion of Philip Gonzalez and his miracle dog, Ginny.Ginny's amazing sixth-sense ability to find and rescue ailing stray cats and Philip's devotion to caring for thesecreatures have been the subject of television news and talk shows, magazine articles and an outpouring of supportfrom animal lovers everywhere. Since their first book, The Dog Who Rescues Cats, Philip and Ginny have carriedout their most incredible rescues and gained fame along the way. The Blessing of the Animals is the next volume of their remarkable, heartwarming adventures."Lassie, go home. Ginny is the new wonder dog for those who love heartwarming, heroic canines." -- Kirkus Reviews"There is an angel living in Long Island....The beauty of Ginny's rescues is that each is directed toward an animal desperately in need -- disabled, neglected, abused or on thenarrow edge of survival." -- Minneapolis Star Tribune"A true, heartwarming story about a dog who gave her owner a new lease on life and taught him how to love again...Endearing and unforgettable." -- Library Journal PhilipGonzalez and Ginny live on Long Island, New York. Leonore Fleischer is the coauthor of The Dog Who RescuesCats and lives with five cats of her own in upstate New York.
Lessons In Stalking: Adjusting to Life With Cats
Dena Harris - 2005
In no other cat book will you find such riveting accounts as:The Great Cat Butt Wiping AdventureJingle Ball HorrorsThe Creature Under the FridgeYoga CatThe Big Brown Mouse & Other Toys Our Cat LoathesLessons In Stalking is the purr-fect gift for cat lovers!Dena Harris has been a humor columnist for Cats & Kittens magazine and contributor to Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul. Her newest book, "Who Moved My Mouse? A Self-Help Book for Cats (Who Don't Need Any Help)" is being translated into 5 languages. Visit www.denaharris.com or www.selfhelpforcats.com for more info.
The Owl Who Liked Sitting on Caesar
Martin Windrow - 2014
It appeared to be wearing a one-piece knitted jumpsuit of pale grey fluff with brown stitching, complete with an attached balaclava helmet. From the face-hole of the fuzzy balaclava, two big, shiny black eyes gazed up at me trustfully. Kweep, it said quietly.'When author Martin Windrow met the tawny owlet that he christened Mumble, it was love at first sight. Raising her from a fledgling, through adolescence and into her prime years, Windrow recorded every detail of their time living together (secretly) in a south London tower block, and later in a Sussex village. This is the touching, intriguing and eccentric story of their 15-year relationship, complete with photographs and illustrations of the beautiful Mumble. Along the way, we are given fascinating insight into the ornithology of owls - from their evolution and biology to their breeding habits and hunting tactics. The Owl Who Liked Sitting on Caesar is a witty, quirky and utterly charming account of the companionship between one man and his owl.
The Best Cat Book Ever: Super-Amazing, 100% Awesome
Kate Funk - 2014
But really, why are you still reading this? Go on, see for yourself why this is truly the most awesome thing that will ever grace your bookshelves!
My Lead Dog Was a Lesbian: Mushing Across Alaska in the Iditarod--the World's Most Grueling Race
Brian Patrick O'Donoghue - 1996
O'Donoghue braved snowstorms and sickening wipeouts, endured the contempt of more experienced racers (one of whom was daft enough to use poodles), and rode herd of four-legged companions who would rather be fighting or having sex. It's all here, narrated with self-deprecating wit, in a true story of heroism, cussedness and astonishing dumb luck.
Dog Years: Faithful Friends, Then Now
Amanda Jones - 2015
By presenting portraits of each dog as a puppy and again as an older dog, photographer Amanda Jones reveals the unique spark of personality that lasts a lifetime. These beautiful images of breeds ranging from golden retrievers and Great Danes to pugs and French bulldogs are accompanied by reflections from loved ones on the lives they share with their furry companions. The result is a celebration of each dog and a tribute to the relationships we share with our four-legged friends.
Seriously Mum, What's an Alpaca?
Alan Parks - 2012
Their intention is to make a living, but first they must negotiate their way through the Spanish property market, local characters, rogue builders and the worst weather Andalucía has seen for 100 years.Alan and Lorna experience the joy, but also the heartbreak of alpaca breeding, picking up an assortment of stray animals on the way.
Scummy Mummies
Ellie Gibson - 2017
It’s about how bringing up kids can be a tough business, but we’re all going through the same things, and it’s easier if we can have a good laugh about it. The book covers a range of themes relevant to modern parents, from pregnancy and potty training to school, sex, and nits. There are fun features like Sex Positions For Parents, quizzes such as Did Our Husbands Really Say That?, and Scummy Mummy Life Hacks.
Oogy: The Dog Only a Family Could Love
Larry Levin - 2009
In 2002, Larry Levin and his twin sons, Dan and Noah, took their terminally ill cat to the Ardmore Animal Hospital outside Philadelphia to have the beloved pet put to sleep. What would begin as a terrible day suddenly got brighter as the ugliest dog they had ever seen--one who was missing an ear and had half his face covered in scar tissue--ran up to them and captured their hearts. The dog had been used as bait for fighting dogs when he was just a few months old. He had been thrown in a cage and left to die until the police rescued him and the staff at Ardmore Animal Hospital saved his life. The Levins, whose sons are themselves adopted, were unable to resist Oogy's charms, and decided to take him home. Heartwarming and redemptive, Oogy is the story of the people who were determined to rescue this dog against all odds, and of the family who took him home, named him "Oogy" (an affectionate derivative of ugly), and made him one of their own.