Howliday Gift Guide: Reading by the Fire (and giveaway!)
The Howliday Gift Guide Week continues with Book Day! As you’re lounging by the fireplace with your cocoa and your furball, you might be looking for some reading material to pass the hours in the dark December nights. Fortunately I’ve got you covered:
1. Ted Kerasote’s Pukka: The Pup After Merle.
I haven’t read the precursor to this, the bestselling Merle’s Door, so I can’t compare the two, but on its own Pukka is a lovely journey of life with a dog. What sets this book apart from the standard dog memoir is the format: it’s almost more of a journal than a book, and I mean that in a good way.
Every page has color photographs, illustrating the story with the visual evidence of a puppydom well lived. The scenery in Wyoming is beautiful, and Kerasote’s photography transports you to the green and sunny mountain world of a puppy living the good life. I almost felt guilty reading it next to Brody, who has never white water rafted, climbed in the snow, or scooted down a rocky mountain. Then I got over it.
For more on the author, click here.
2. The Complete Works of James Herriot
It’s not exactly an unexpected or little-known series, but Herriot is the Mark Twain of the animal author set. Anyone who has penned a heartfelt animal memoir owes a debt of gratitude to him to making the bond we share with our pets accessible and celebrated. The world he inhabited as a vet is not the one I inherited, and I always welcome the reprieve from the modern world.
I know I’ve mentioned this book already here on the site, but seriously, it’s that good. Dr. Nancy Kay’s guide to being your pet’s advocate is insightful for both consumers and animal healthcare providers: thorough, compassionate, and full of solid advice for optimizing your pet’s healthcare experience.
4. Teh Itteh Bitteh Book of Kittehs
If cute kitties are your bag, you no doubt have the Cheezburger site in your bookmarks for your daily dose of LOLcats. This third installment brings the “awwwws” with page after page of cute guaranteed to melt even the Grinchiest heart. As long as they like kittens, that is.
Giveaway!
I have one copy of Pukka: the Pup After Merle to give away to one of you. To enter, simply respond below with your favorite book (and it doesn’t even have to be a pet book!)
Winner will be selected by random.org at noon, December 7 2010. US/Canada only.
FTC Disclosure: A review copy of Pukka: The Pup After Merle was provided by the publisher. No other compensation was provided for the review. The other books were selected from my own collection. Amazon links are NOT affiliate links.
And the Pukka goes to: Elliott, our Roald Dahl fan! Congratulations!
