5 comments about Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers: Stories that celebrate our feline friends (Cup of Comfort).

1. This book is simply wonderful for any animal lover, but purr-fect for cat lovers. Each story, there are 50, is enjoyable and there is not one among them that won't touch you in some way. Each tale is unique but carries a common heart-warming thread. You could reasonably read a complete story in small snatches of stolen time, or you may find you must keep reading. :-)
   
   You will laugh and cry and you will FEEL. The stories in this book are short in duration but long on feeling. The reader comes away with a better understanding of just how much they will never wholly understand the depth of soul held by our feline friends. I have 2 kitties myself and have always had cats in my life. I have long held the belief that cats have personalities and spirits and a greater intelligence and sense of empathy they are usually given credit for. This book proves the point many times over.
   
   I loved reading this medley from the first story to the last. What a fantastic collection.



2. I bought this book from the recommendation of my mother who is also the mommy to two Tonkinese cats. My kids adore her cats, and although we have a dog in our household, after reading this book, I can see why so many are touched by cats, and how individual they really are. This book definitely had a warm and wonderful touch that brought smiles and tears to my eyes!



3. The best book I have ever read about our feline friends.Each author shows its love of cats.I highly recommen this book to anybody who has or does not have a cat."The Power of the Purr"was one of the best of the short stories.The compasson showen by both the author and our animal friends makes you feel good inside. Thanks Gail.



4. You can't meet the mysterious eyes of a cat and not think about what she's been up to. Now we know.
   
   Cup of Comfort for Cat Lovers is a delightful anthology that includes 50 kitty-inspired tales guaranteed to charm any feline fan. Whether you're in the mood for a laugh or a tug of the heartstrings, this satisfying volume delivers.



5. I loved the book. As a Mom of two little guys, 3 ½ and under along with three energetic felines, I really don't have much time for myself. This book was great in the fact that whenever I had a moment to myself I could read a story or two. They were all so entertaining. Some made me laugh and some brought a tear to my eye but all of them were very enjoyable.

5 comments about The Gospel According to Sam: Animal Stories for the Soul.

1. Fr. Bill Miller is the kind of priest I wish every church could have. And when you read him, you feel he is the kind of friend whose acquaintance you are so glad to have made you want to keep him on speed-dial for the rest of your natural days.
   
   I happen to love dogs, but this book of Bill's is hardly one of those shopping mall specials of the too-cute-for-words, well-intended but theologically suspect book of essays espousing "salvation through dog slobber" one sees so often. What the reader finds is a flesh and blood adult male (though that term is dangerously close to a tautology) who honestly wrestles with faith, doubt, love, betrayal, self-discovery, self-sacrifice, life, death and even cheese. And that's just when he is writing about dogs -- okay, dogs, and the people who love dogs, and some that don't...do you see what I mean? Bill writes normally the way most clergy wish they could preach on their best days, (and the way most people in the pews wish they did too) and yet he somehow never comes off as "preachy". Not even once. How does he do that? Beats the heck out of me, yet it makes this book an easy read though inarguably substantive all the same.
   
   I'd like to say that I could recommend this book without reservation, but as an Episcopal priest myself, I am obliged to find exceptions to nearly everything. Thus, this book may not be for everyone. In fact, it ought to come with a warning label, alerting buyers to potentially embarassing social situations. When I was reading, "The Gospel According To Sam" inflight, the people in the rows around me became annoyed (or perhaps jealous) by the frequent, sudden if uncontrollable outbursts of laughter it caused. At the opposite end of the spectrum was the mortification suffered by my 16 year old daughter when seeing her fifty-something father with tears streaming down his face -- in public, no less -- when trying to retell the moving story (Chapter 9, "Eating Squirrel") of Bill's growing up in hard-scrabble Texas with a father who had no understanding much less appreciation of the boy Bill was nor the man he would become.
   
   So, in all honesty, I cannot recommend this book to everyone. If you need a "how to" book on house-training puppies, this isn't it. Nor is it some canine-version of Christian apologetics*, its appealing photo of Sam on the cover notwithstanding.
   
   But apart from those two exceptions, I would say just about everyone else will enjoy this book, will learn from it, and will (when finished reading it) eagerly await Fr. Bill's next efforts. And when you buy one for yourself, you may discover, as I did, you have to buy a second and third copy -- for my friends to read -- and return (eventually).
   
   But they can't have my copy. Every so often, I feel the need for a good laugh...or a good cry...or the insight of a good friend. In the pages of, "The Gospel According To Sam," I know any one or all three may await.
   
   ________________________________________________
   
   * "...explaining the Doctrine of the Trinity so well that even an English Setter can understand it!"



2. ...this is the book for you. Funny, earthy, wise, gripping, sad. If you love dogs and know they have souls, this is your book.
   If you love piety and think churches are holy places, you will find other books better suited to your taste.
   This is for those who search for God, and those who love and learn from, and also grieve for, pets loved and lost.



3. A wonderful story and I laughed and cried as I read this. Bill Miller puts his heart and soul into sharing his experiences about Sam with us.



4. Wonderful story telling and I highly recomend it for all dog lovers. The next to last chapter doesn't seem to fit the rest of the book. The encounter with young girls detracts from the story line in my opinion.



5. The Gospel According to Sam is a wonderful collection of true stories of one man's journey, his dog Sam and their sometimes impetuous adventures. Each story will warm your heart and make you laugh out loud.
   I loved it so much, I am giving several copies this holiday season to a variety of people (Episcopal, Catholic, Jewish and a couple that doesn't go to chuch). The Gospel According to Sam is a book that anyone can enjoy and appreciate!

No comments about Six Puppies (Post) Cards (Small-Format Card Books).

No comments about Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats (Nutrient Requirements of Domestic Animals).

2 comments about Church Cats.

1. Book arrived in a timely fashion and was in aboslutely pristine condition.



2. Very sweet. I wish churches in the US all had cats.

1 comments about Firefly Encyclopedia of the Vivarium: Keeping Amphibians, Reptiles, and Insects, Spiders and other Invertebrates in Terraria, Aquaterraria, and Aquaria.

1. Great book. Great pictures! Very educational. Highly recommend if your looking for a broad viv info.

1 comments about Flat-Coated Retriever (Comprehensive Owners Guide) (Comprehensive Owners Guide).

1. My father-in-law sat down and read this book cover-to-cover (except for a few breaks to play with the dog and enjoy a festive meal). He kept exclaiming about "these fascinating dogs!" I found that this book covered the waterfront. It was one of the books I consulted before getting a flat-coated retriever pup a few months back. The book was accurate. And, we're delighted with our dog. Good book. It turned out to be a coffee table book.

5 comments about The Good Shepherd: Pet Owner's Guide to the German Shepherd Dog Series: The S-M Dog Library.

1. Nice book. A really good intro to the GSD. Really, I like the fact that the authors mention that the GSD is a great all around dog that needs something to do. They stress training, not mean training, but positive training. This dog is the ultimate dog.



2. Thin book with Good pictures, very nice words about GS dog very little obidience and not much about dog phsycology. No good examples. Very compact book. If you want more comprehensive info on GS dog look somewhere else. this book is just a touch up on most common topics.



3. This book contains just what the person contemplating getting a German Shepherd Dog needs. I've owned German Shepherds all my life and know a great deal about the breed. This book gives everything you need to be a successful and proud GSD owner. Easy to read and understand. Great book for experienced GSD owners too. Pete Brevik



4. I have been looking at getting a dog for the last six months and have just recently focused on the German Shepherd Dog. There are a ton of available books out there, and I'm sure there are many very good ones. This one caught my eye, however, becuase its co-written by "Uncle Matty", who I first saw on his PBS show "Woof! It's a dog's life". The care and love he showered the dogs on the show, especially the ones with "behaviour problems" endeared him to me from the start. He brings the same warmth and compassion to "The Good Shepherd", and includes loads of useful info as well. He is also very practical about what kind of dog the GSD is and what kind of person the owner needs to be. Honest and perceptive, this book convinced me that the German Shepherd dog is the right best friend for me!



5. Many reviews I read for other books about breeds criticized them for being very generic, with barely one chapter about the breed itself. This entire book is about the German Shepherd! The book's table of contents illustrates what I mean. 1)Meet the German Shepherd Dog 2)A Bit of History 3)Amazing German Shepherds 4)The Shepherd Bond 5)Shepherd Gear (What Your dog Needs) 6)Feeding Your dog 7)House-Breaking Your German Shepherd Dog 8)Obedience-Training Your German Shepherd 9)German Shepherd Behavior Problems 10)Keeping Your German Shepherd Dog Healthy 11)Canine Medical Conditions 12)Medical Problems Common to the German Shepherd Dog 13)Home Medical Care 14)The Most-Asked Questions About the German Shepherd Dog Appendix: Guide Dog Schools

5 comments about Clicker Fun: Dog Tricks and Games Using Positive Reinforcement.

1. There is another book, Peggy Tillman's Clicking with your dog,
   that often gets the press, but this is a much better book. Dr. Jones talks about how to get a non-interested dog interested in clicking and how to move up from there. Tillman's book gives every task a name though often does not discuss how to group them and make them into new combinations. Dr. Jones has no problem with grouping, re-grouping, organising and such activities.

   This book has plenty of activities which you can start with and use for either performance or comfirmation activities plus a weekly planner. She gives lots of 'shaping' tips and problem solutions. A superb training manual. Sorry it's op.




2. I review dog books. This is a seriously good book. Buy it! Dr. Ian Dunba



3. I bought this book on the recommendation of my dog trainer. I had never trained a dog before. I wanted to do everything right from the beginning. My charming and energetic Jack Russel responded immediantly! I am having so much fun with my new friend. Thank you, Ms. Jones, for sharing your insight with others!



4. This little book is jam packed with great ideas for tricks - new and old.Readers will not only be able to teach their dogs tricks using friendly, fun, and fast techniques, they'll soon figure out that clicker training works - for any facet of dog training. This is a great way to build a relationship with your dog, and Deb Jones has made it even easier. This book is also a great teacher's aid for anyone teaching others how to train their dogs. The tricks and games are easily incorporated into a classroom setting, and Deb Jones even includes a four week insutructors guide for those wanting to set up their own tricks classes.



5. Deb Jones' book is one of the easiest to understand clicker training books out there. The science of operant conditioning is explained in layman's language, and the examples are down-to-earth. The tricks and games Dr. Jones describes are fun to teach any dog and will lay the foundation for further work in clicker training.

2 comments about Baensch Aquarium Atlas Vol. 2.

1. If you liked the first book you need to have this one too. Very good continuation to first one. Lots of new fish and plant species and some mistakes done in the first book are corrected in this one.



2. A large and recommendable guide to fresh and brackish water fishes and plants, in the style and format of volume 1 (to which it often refers for further information on related species).

   Contents:

   - A section on aquatic plants both sub-aquatic and emersed, including 22 pages dedicated to the flowers of the plants featured (mostly pictures - from the small and humble to the impressively coloured and shaped). 150 plants are described (according to their count).

   - A section on iron and other nutrients: symptoms of deficiencies, fertilisation, CO2 addition and general plant care and choice guidelines (about 10 pages total, includes some pictures of symptoms of common plant problems)

   - A section on algae, including description, pictures and control for: blue-green algae (cyanobacteria), diatoms (a.k.a. brown algae), and cluster, beard, green bunch, green spot, black spot, pelt, black brush, filamentous and suspended algae (9 pages, with pictures).

   - Some 22 pages on anatomy and physiology of fishes.

   - The largest section (almost 2000 pages) describes and contains pictures of some 850 species (again, on editor's count). From time to time a picture of a biotope is included - sometimes with specifications as to the fishy inhabitants, sometimes with miscellaneous comments. The origin of these is quite unbalanced: while South America scores some 17 photos, lake Malawi makes do with 4 (though 2 are underwater ones - the only ones to be so!), lake Tanganyka with just one, Australia with 3 and Asia with 1. The rest go completely unrecorded. To make matters worse most of these are landscape pictures giving little information about the actual habitat of the fish or plants. Only in one picture can aquatic plants clearly be seen (apart from water lilies, that is) - no specific biotope information is given for plants at all.

   All in all this is, I believe, a great reference book on plants and fish. It shows many remarkable plants and fish, many of which are not even normally commercialised. Great for the terminally curious and those whose imagination runs ahead of their tanks' possibilities. But not a good source of biotope information (other than short descriptions and hints contained in the individual species descriptions).