A handy, easy-to-read manual, particularly for neophyte pet owners in urban areas, where dog parks are essential for...
A primer about appropriate canine (and human) behavior during public playtime.
The dog park has become the site of much folklore, community policing, and sociological interest in America. In this debut work, Lee readily admits that she’s not an expert on animal training, so she bases her recommendations on many years of active participation and keen observation in the dog park area reserved for larger animals. Much confusion stems from human misperceptions of canine behavior, Lee says, and she seeks to set the record straight. “Each time you go is a new experience, because no two days there are ever alike,” she advises from the outset. “The mix of dogs and people are never the same, and you can never anticipate what might happen.” Although this may strike some new dog owners as somewhat alarming, the author provides general rules and strategies so that readers will feel prepared for all contingencies. Chapters specifically delve into such subjects as “Puppies,” “Children at the Dog Park,” “Neutering,” “Balls and Personal Toys,” “Body Language,” and “Prejudices.” One of the author’s salient recommendations is to take one’s dog for a walk before hitting the park so that the pet expends some excess energy in advance. Lee also urges owners to note and avoid the specific times when professional dog walkers bring large packs, pointing out that it’s virtually impossible for one person to keep tabs on so many dogs and that, logically, they’re more likely to get into trouble under such circumstances. As an added bonus, Lee sometimes adopts the voice of Buster, her 60-pound American Staffordshire terrier mix, to offer a dog’s unique perspective on the matters at hand; she crafts an introduction and conclusion as her pet, as well as one of the middle chapters. Even grizzled dog park veterans who’ve seen it all may appreciate this refresher course, and all dog lovers will enjoy Lee’s anecdotes, which she uses to illustrate specific points. Overall, she writes in a clear, accessible style and approaches her subject matter with humor in the hope that everyone will experience fun and safe adventures.
A handy, easy-to-read manual, particularly for neophyte pet owners in urban areas, where dog parks are essential for exercise and socialization.Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-5347-2893-6
Page Count: 82
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Dec. 29, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
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BOOK TO SCREEN
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Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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