Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit [Hardcover]

Bark Editors (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 23, 2007

A pot roast left unguarded. An open bedroom door. An ill-timed squat. Dogs seem to have impeccable timing. Yet how quickly calamity turns to comedy in the company of a dog, and the wrong moment turns out to be just the right one.

In this delightful follow-up to Dog Is My Co-Pilot, which won the Best Book of the Year award from the Dog Writers Association of America, the editors of The Bark bring together more stories, essays, and artwork that highlight the hilarity of dog behavior and the comical interactions between dog people and their four-legged friends.

From playful puppies who wreak havoc in the home to dogs with a whole array of comic shticks and tricks, Howl celebrates the verve and the laughs pets offer their people. It includes laugh-out-loud reflections (and confessions), rib-tickling tales, and whimsical vignettes from well-known writers such as:

• Dave Barry
• Margaret Cho
• Al Franken
• Kinky Friedman
• Pam Houston
• Haven Kimmel
• Neal Pollack
• And many more!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The second literary salvo from The Bark magazine (after Dog is my Co-Pilot), a mostly-miss compendium of dog-related scribblings, opens with a spectacularly unfunny standup routine performed by a dog named Gracie. The schtick, by essayist Bonnie Thomas Abbott, is cliché-ridden enough almost to put readers off dogs for good. Alice Elliott Dark's ponderous attempted satire of the James Frey debacle, related here as the dog Raw Bone's memoir A Million Little Reeses, is so cringe-inducing the reader is actually embarrassed for the author. Those with fortitude will be rewarded, albeit sparingly. Marc Spitz's essay on how his dog changed his life, riddled with pop culture references and self-deprecating humor, is truly a joy. Kinky Friedman's all-too-short piece on the trials and tribulations of sharing a bed with animals will have dog lovers smiling and nodding in recognition, and Nancy Cohen's "The Seven Month Itch" masterfully incorporates the multitude of nicknames owners have for their companions in a story about the search for the cure for a rash. Unfortunately, the gems are all too few.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“A funny and touching book for anyone who loves, respects, and cherishes their dog as a family member!”—Tamar Geller, Oprah’s personal dog coach and New York Times bestselling author of The Loved Dog

“We love your book!”
—Phydo and Phyllis Diller, author of Like a Lampshade in a Whorehouse: My Life in Comedy

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (October 23, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 030733838X
• ISBN-13: 978-0307338389
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,108,061 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love, love, love this book!, November 2, 2007

By 

KUJO (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit (Hardcover)

The Bark editors are always able to find the best writing on dogs, and they have crafted another winner with this follow up to the much beloved "Dog Is My Co-Pilot". Where "Co-Pilot" was more classic fare, focusing on the bond between people and dogs, this collection isn't so serious and enjoys poking fun at people and their dogs. It does so smartly, and with great wit, if not all out belly laughs. I didn't recognize all the contributors but some of the best pieces were from new (to me) voices: Cathy Crimmins hilarious take on her dog's sex life, David Malley's ruminations on number two, and Jon Bowen's myth busting of second dogs. Can't wait for their next collection ...

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another sure-to-be bestseller from The Bark!, November 13, 2007

By 

Rory Rowling (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit (Hardcover)

The editors at the Bark sure do have an eye for the best dog writing out there. This collection was very very funny and would make a great christmas gifts for dog lovers who love a laugh. My favorite pieces were from Lee Harrington, Neal Pollack, and Kinky Friedman. The other anthology by The Bark, Dog is My Co-Pilot, was more soulful than this book. But this one is funnier! SO you need both. Let's hope they do more dog anthologies in the future!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bark's Best yet for Man's best friend...., November 5, 2007

By 

Rocco Ingala "Angel City Books" (Santa Monica, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Howl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit (Hardcover)

Howl is a terrific ode to Man's best friend...and a reminder that in this cold, dark world, a true friend can be found...Writer's from all around the country share warm and witty musings on their relationships with that one creature that gives and gives a "howl"...terrific, well done and a good read on the beach or before bed...M. Grasso Santa Monica, CA