The books are taking over the world.
I have a small problem with books. As in I love them. I can’t get enough of them. I have so many books here that I’ll never get around to reading because I keep getting distracted (ooh shiny!). Books I bought at thrift shops, books I bought at library book sales, books I swapped for on Paperbackswap. A few I actually purchased because I need them and couldn’t get them cheaper. Some were gifts. And they’re lovely. I have lots of novels and lots of non-fiction. Weird stuff. Fascinating stuff. I have some bizarre interest in disease, for example, so I have books on smallpox, ebola, cholera, syphilis, influenza. I have a number of pop-science books on topics ranging from tornados to houseflies to giant squid. I have travelogues. I have memoirs. I even have poetry.
And then there are the dog books. I hoard these. I’ve only read maybe half of them, and some of them I’m not even that interested in reading, but I have them, and I am unwilling to part with them. It’s that weird obsessive thing.
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Siren's Shiitake Happens Couch-Holder-Downer EX
Puppy Steve FDX
Wow… thats a lot of books. I’ll give you book review since I have a lot of the same books :-).
I was enterained and learned a lot from For the Love of a Dog, The Latchkey Dog, The Dog Who Would Be King, and The Other End of the Leash.
Clicker Training for Obedience had some good ideas.
I was surprised I did not like Bones Would Rain From the Sky that much, but the quote “Train without ego” really rings true and I try to hold onto that thought.
Winterdance was hilarious. Cruelest Miles was good too. Remembering to Breath was kind of entertaining… it was good for reading at the gym.
I hated Raw Meaty Bones. Some of Animals in Translation was interesting, but I couldn’t finish the book in the end.
And yet I see there are so many I haven’t read :-).
Looks very similar to my bookshelves :)
Yes I have quite a few of the same. I adored “Animals in Translation” and even had a chance to see a talk by Temple Grandin over at Cornell.
In my dog library, I have a bunch of herding books. You might need to start that collection now that you have Steve. :-) And I have lots of collie books ranging from the good ones (Collie Concept) to the cheesy pet shop ones that I picked up at 2nd hand book sales & garage sales. Some of my most cherished books are old Terhunes from the 1920s or so in which the Incredibly Brave & Noble Collie saves the day; and old breed books. I have one little book from 1934 that shows the AKC breeds from that time.
Oops I just noticed two of the more useful-to-me books are not on there. Control Unleashed is on my nightstand so I can reference it easily, and Click to Calm is sitting here next to me because I keep meaning to write a review.
As far as some of the other books, Pit Bull Placebo and Fatal Dog Attacks were both excellent (Fatal Dog Attacks is sadly out of print). I adored Shaping Success. Remembering to Breathe and OTCH Dreams were interesting enough but also light reading.
I found For the Love of a Dog and Bones Would Rain from the Sky both extremely enjoyable. Kicked, Bitten, and Scratched was fascinating and I would love to work in a zoo. When Pigs Fly had some good ideas on training less traditional dogs.
ChrisJ: any suggestions? Before I got Steve I didn’t really have an interest in herding, but now I’ve discovered that there is herding camp and I want to go someday!!
“I have so many books here that I’ll never get around to reading because I keep getting distracted (ooh shiny!).”
First off, GET OUT OF MY HEAD WOMAN!
Seriously, I think we might be related. Do they have bookbuyers anonymous? (Like we would go right? *snort*)
Say it with me now, “My name is Katie and I’m a bookoholic.” Now doesn’t that feel better?
Pssst. Have you seen http://www.betterworld.com? Yes my name is Marie and I’m an enabler. Read on!
Marie? YOU’RE NOT HELPING!! :P
If you liked “Winterdance”, also read Paulsen’s “My Life in Dog Years.” He writes succintly, but oh so well, about the many, many dogs that have touched his life.
Is the library an option? I usually read a book from there, and if I really like it, I’ll find my own copy.
BetterWorldBooks looks very cool. Will have to explore it more.
I make heavy use of the library as well but mostly for fiction and occasionally non-fiction. You can request books through interlibrary loan from the comfort of your own computer and they call you when they arrive at your local branch. I love it!
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who collects dog books even though I haven’t read them all yet. Although, I don’t have quite as many dog books as you do.
so, what do you find useful about john katz books?
Absolutely nothing. Sort of along the lines of Marley and me. How to be an idiot and make a lot of money from it.
i’m probably (always) overreacting, but a real sense of dismay came over me at the sight of his name. obviously i’m jealous of just how easily idiocy comes to some people…
Laws, i do like the paperbackswap. I have given and received so many cool things through that site, and found gifts for many loved ones.