Dog Is My Co-Pilot: Great Writers on the World's Oldest Friendship (Hardcover)

by Bark Editors (Author) "MY DOG, MARLEY, WAS NAMED AFTER THE LATE MUSIC SHAMAN, Bob Marley..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Los Angeles, Wren Hickles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This anthology by the editors of the Bark, a hip, literate dog quarterly, defines the parameters of this genre with sensibility and force. Such writers as Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, Mark Doty, Caroline Knapp, Thom Jones, Mark Derr, Rick Bass, Tom Junod and Erica Jong assure dog lovers that they aren't crazy or neurotic for having intense feelings for their dogs or for buying a separation anxiety CD for a terrier-beagle mix, as Charles Siebert does with not a little bemusement. Patricia B. McConnell, an animal behaviorist, says, "There's something much bigger and better than neediness that drives our love of dogs." For her, that something is silence: her dog Cool Hand Luke's nonverbal attentiveness teaches that "dogs keep us firmly rooted in the here and now." For others, like Stephen Kuusisto, freedom comes in the form of a seeing-eye dog named Corky, who proves her worthiness by steering the author through an obstacle course of doughnuts and pizza slices. The dogs written about here all have something to teach, whether it's about trust, bigotry, loving, mortality or spirituality: Lama Surya Das, echoing the playful title of the book, writes, "Scratch a dog and you'll find God." The high quality, humor (with a comic by Lynda Barry) and delight here leave the reader wanting more.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-The editors of Berkeley's popular Bark magazine have compiled this appealing collection of essays and short stories exploring every aspect of the dog/owner relationship. Some of the selections are light and humorous, but most are serious attempts to explain the important role a dog plays in one's life. Well-known writers such as Rick Bass, Erica Jong, Alice Walker, and Ann Patchett are contributors and cartoonist Lynda Barry offers a sweet graphic story. Animal-loving teens will be delighted with this collection.-Penny Stevens, Andover College, Portland, ME
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (September 16, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609610864
• ISBN-13: 978-0609610862
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #575,216 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Food for the soul of every dog lover, September 18, 2003

By	Arlene Millman "chyron24" (Huntington, New York United States) - See all my reviews

This fresh and inspirational compilation is food for the soul of every dog lover. Every page serves to confirm the strength of the human-canine bond, and the degree of unconditional love shared between mankind and dogs. I loved every word, even those that brought tears to my eyes and put a lump in my throat. The talented writings are simply heartwarming. An ideal gift book for the holidays, or any occasion.
Arlene Millman
author of BOOMERANG - A MIRACLE TRILOGY
(The tale of a remarkable Boston Terrier)

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Recommended Even for Non-Dog People, December 13, 2003

By	takingadayoff "takingadayoff" (Las Vegas, Nevada) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I am not a dog person, have never owned a dog, have never even been close to a dog. In fact, my only qualification for having read this book may be that I cried when I read Old Yeller and that was a LONG time ago.

But I loved this book. Most of the stories are only a few pages long, so if one doesn't click, you can be on a brand new story in no time. My favorite stories were Lynda Barry's graphic short, Stephen Kuusisto's description of meeting his new guide dog and how they come to trust one another, and Lee Forgotson's thoughts on how dogs helped her come to terms with the aftermath of September 11.

Most of the stories were funny or touching, but there were several eulogies to old friends, as well. The drawings by Mark Ulriksen are eye-catching, a little off-kilter. Two paws up for this one.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dog is good, June 9, 2004

By	Valerie Adolph "Coast Journal" (Pacific Northwest) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This has been one of the most enjoyable books of the year. I recommend it to any dog-lover. It is a literate, touching, funny book that rings true. The reader can enjoy it on many levels - it informs about dog (and people) behaviour, and if it taught me anything about dogs, it taught me more about myself.

This is a colleection of essays and stories by writers urban and rural, old and young, male and female. There's something for everyone who loves dogs (or a dog) and every reader will find his/her own treasures in it. I found that it was a book to savor slowly. I usually read a book every day or two - this one took me most of a week because it was not a book to be rushed.

I'm going to buy a copy of the magazine "Bark" to see if I like it as much as the book.