Animal Blessings: Prayers and Poems Celebrating Our Pets [Hardcover]

June Cotner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 5, 2000

Our pets. They are our loyal companions and our faithful friends, a constant source of joy and inspiration. In this endearing anthology of prayers and poems, June Cotner has handpicked choice writings by some of the world's most notable animal lovers to celebrate the playful, the poignant, and the profound ways these wonderful creatures touch our daily lives.

Selections include Emily Dickinson's astute observations of her cat, Roger Caras' thoughts about the love a dog brings to a home, and a cat's rules for running a house. Readers will be delighted by Anne Porter's poem exalting a spring symphony of peepers and Rumi in praise of birds in flight. The section "Partings" includes Annie Dougherty's lovely poem "Time to Say Good-bye" and Lord Byron's epitaph to his dog. "Reflections" includes the words of St. Francis, Jane Goodall, and Chief Seattle, reminding us that we are all interconnected beings, and James Herriot and Walt Whitman honoring the humble dignity of all creatures.

Animal Blessings makes a wonderful gift for all animal lovers. This delightful volume is a charming companion that reminds us to be grateful for everything our pets and all the other animals of the world bring to our lives.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Sometimes it's easy to find the right gift for that difficult aunt: if she's devoted to her cat or dog, ship her a copy of Animal Blessings. The latest in a line of inspirational books from dog lover June Cotner (she also wrote and edited Graces, Bedside Prayers, and Get Well Wishes), this one, like the others, is slim, compact, and filled with entries that melt into the mind as easily as M&M's in the mouth. The writers range from the great (Whitman and Keats, Eckhart and Dostoyevsky) to children and Anonymous. So too do the entries vary widely. Rarely extending beyond half a page, they move from the humorous ("Say something idiotic and nobody but a dog politely wags his tail") to the sublime (Eckhart's "If I spent enough time with the tiniest creature ... I would never have to prepare a sermon. So full of God is every creature") to the silly ("scratch a dog and you'll find a permanent job"). Given that there are more than 100 million cat and dog owners in the United States alone, this book should fill a niche in many of their lives. And where else can you find Doris Day next to Elizabeth Barrett Browning? --Doug Thorpe

Review

"...an adorable collection of special thoughts on our animal friends." -- --USA Today

"Bless yourself with love, joy, and inspiration by reading Animal Blessings!" -- --Mark Victor Hanson, co-author, Chicken Soup for the Soul series

"Bless yourself with love, joy, and inspiration by reading Animal Blessings!" --Mark Victor Hansen, Co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: HarperOne; 1st edition (September 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062516450
• ISBN-13: 978-0062516459
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 5.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #918,893 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

June Cotner is a publishing consultant and the author of 26 books, including the bestselling Graces and Dog Blessings. Collectively, her books have sold more than 850,000 copies and have earned praise in many national publications including USA Today, Better Homes & Gardens, Woman's Day, and Family Circle. She has appeared on the television programs "Northwest Afternoon" and "AM Northwest." June is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley. Through Book Proposal Services, she evaluates nonfiction book proposals and analyzes concepts for books. See "Consulting" at www.JuneCotner.com. Her books have been published by major houses including Random House, HarperCollins, and Hachette. She has also enjoyed working with mid-size publishers such as Andrews McMeel, Chronicle Books, and New World Library.

Quotation: "Creativity, for me, involves connections. As an anthologist, I love finding the perfect quote for a specific book. As a publishing consultant, I greatly enjoy helping clients create the best possible proposals to secure excellent advances."

Fun tidbit: June has always loved playing with creative ideas, including starting the first "dormie" powder puff football game at U.C. Berkeley, I ETA PI, that competed against sorority teams and went on to become a football dynasty.

Visit her website at www.JuneCotner.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must-have for all pet lovers, October 17, 2000

By 

Anita Powley (Fremont, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animal Blessings: Prayers and Poems Celebrating Our Pets (Hardcover)

I wasn't sure what to expect from a book entitled, "Animal Blessings." What I found is a true gem. This book is a collection clever quotes, small anecdotes and heartfelt tributes to cats, dogs, horses and other pet animals. Some of them are old favorites; others are new musings on the joys of pet ownership. Each is no more than a page or two. It's a book you don't have to read through in consecutive order. Pick it up and read a page or two at random. Our pets are truly blessings in our lives, and this book is a wonderful way for us to express our love and thanks to them. Have a kleenex ready for the chapter devoted to pets who have passed on.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A PET IS MORE THAN A FRIEND~ THEY ARE FAMILY!, May 11, 2001

By 

MARY (POMONA, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Animal Blessings: Prayers and Poems Celebrating Our Pets (Hardcover)

AS A DEVOTED PET OWNER, MY BELOVED DOG "LEXIE" IS ONE OF THE FAMILY,BUT ALSO MY FAITHFUL, DEVOTED FRIEND AS WELL. I ENJOYED THIS BOOK VERY MUCH AND SO WILL ANYONE WHO READS IT. EVERY PET OWNER HAS A SPECIAL PLACE IN THEIR HEART FOR THEIR OWN PET,AND THIS BOOK WILL CAPTURE YOURS AS WELL. IT'S GOOD READING FOR YOUR SOUL!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Gift for Animal Lovers, March 26, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Animal Blessings: Prayers and Poems Celebrating Our Pets (Hardcover)

I have given this book a number of times. To friends who have lost their pets, to friends who have recently acquired new pets and have gotten the same reaction - Thank you so very much! I can't go through it without a dry eye or a smile.