If I Should Die Before My Dog—
Joe Connolly - 2012
This book will assist those who want to prepare for their dog's future in an easy-to-use format that will guide them through the process of telling the "story" of their dog's life, for their pet's "Next Guardian." None of us can predict the future, but in the event situations arise such as death, health impairment, or left with no other choice but to give them up, this book will be there to assist your beloved pet with the transition from one home to another.
North Slope
Michael Parker - 1980
2012) has been re-edited because of editing problems that were highlighted on Amazon's pages. The paperback was also re-edited. It could be said that the version now available is the second edition, but nothing has changed with respect to the story. The reviews (26 so far on May 3rd) have been extremely helpful and hopefully the editing reviews can now be ignored.North Slope is a barren desert of ice in Alaska that stretches from the Brooks Mountains to the Beaufort Sea, frozen during the winter clear to the North Pole. It is in this wilderness that the Fyffe Oil Company struggles in its search for oil. Andrew Fyffe, owner of the company, finds time and money are running out. On the rig a man has been killed; suspicion and fear are rampant among the drilling crews as they continue their superhuman efforts before Fyffe goes bust. The one man who (Fyffe believes) can save the company is McKinnon, once a famous wildcat oil man, but now a drunk, a drop-out. Fyffe kidnaps McKinnon from a drinking spree and flies him up to the oil rig, Fyffe One. When McKinnon sobers up he quickly sees he will need all his old resourcefulness, skill and courage to save the rig from catastrophe. The violent action of this story takes place against the background, strongly conveyed, of Alaskan Arctic winter and night. The rig and its crew confront dangers from temperatures far below zero, from fire, and from a subtle and complex intrigue ruthlessly executed by men whose objectives do not include the welfare of Fyffe One. This first novel tells a powerful story with conviction, a story to spellbind the reader and a mystery to be solved.
War Dogs: Tales of Canine Heroism, History, and Love
Rebecca Frankel - 2013
Without warning an insurgent popped up, his weapon raised. At the handler's command, the dog charged their attacker. There was the flash of steel, the blur of fur, and the sound of a single shot; the handler watched his dog take a bullet. During the weeks it would take the dog to heal, the handler never left its side. The dog had saved his life. Loyal and courageous, dogs are truly man's best friend on the battlefield. While the soldiers may not always feel comfortable calling the bond they form love, the emotions involved are strong and complicated. In War Dogs, Rebecca Frankel offers a riveting mix of on-the-ground reporting, her own hands-on experiences in the military working dog world, and a look at the science of dogs' special abilities-from their amazing noses and powerful jaws to their enormous sensitivity to the emotions of their human companions. The history of dogs in the US military is long and rich, from the spirit-lifting mascots of the Civil War to the dogs still leading patrols hunting for IEDs today. Frankel not only interviewed handlers who deployed with dogs in wars from Vietnam to Iraq, but top military commanders, K-9 program managers, combat-trained therapists who brought dogs into war zones as part of a preemptive measure to stave off PTSD, and veterinary technicians stationed in Bagram. She makes a passionate case for maintaining a robust war-dog force. In a post-9/11 world rife with terrorist threats, nothing is more effective than a bomb-sniffing dog and his handler. With a compelling cast of humans and animals, this moving book is a must read for all dog lovers-military and otherwise.