No comments about Breeding Egglayers (Practical Fishkeeper's Guide).

5 comments about The Goldfish: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet.

1. This book's just too general. The contents are just too basic. It doesn't contain too much info about goldfish diseases. I think the book contains info about general freshwater fishes rather than goldfishes. Also there're only a few pictures that shown the goldfish diseases. Some diseases written in the book don't even have pictures. I will say it's a book for a real beginner (knows nothing about freshwater fishes) rather than goldfish lovers.



2. If you want a Happy and Healthy Goldfish, BUY THIS BOOK. I've owned this book for a year and a half and I Love it to this day!!! This book is filled with Beautiful Color pictures, easy to understand concepts, and all the information you could ever want on Goldfish. This book has made me so knowledgeable that my friends call me "the Goldfish doctor".



3. Aquarium technology has advanced quite a bit since this book was first written, so that portion of the book is only of limited use. However, the information on care and feeding of one's goldfish is excellent. Nonetheless, if you are going to get just one book on goldfish, I recommend The Essential Goldfish, by Maddy Hargrove, which is an updated version of this book..



4. I just set up a small outdoor pond and was not really interested in Koi because of the cost and the fact that they can get big so goldfish seemed the logical choice.
   Other than having one in a bowl when I was a kid, I didn't know anything about them. Now I know I will never put one in a bowl again and have learned all kinds of interesting things about these fascinating creatures. I am sure there are other books that may go into more detail on some topics but this book seems to cover just about everything. I don't think you will be disappointed. Clear, easy to read and understand. Good photos but I wish there were more - can't please everyone.



5. This book has helped me gain an understanding of goldfish and how to take care of them. Written by Carlo DeVito with Gregory Skomal, it was released in 1996. The 156 pages consist of five chapters. The color photographs of the varieties of goldfish are nice. Several drawings are also included--one of these is a color drawing of a goldfish with its external features pointed out. Handy sidebars are interspersed throughout. Examples of topics discussed are the history of goldfish, the body and its structure, the senses, selecting goldfish, varieties, setup of the aquarium, plants, feeding, aquarium maintenance, breeding, diseases, and pondkeeping. There is an appendix, which is composed of an alphabetical listing of 80 well-known varieties of goldfish, and a bibliography. I find this to be a pleasing, useful publication and recommend it.

No comments about Rabbits: How to Take Care of Them and Understand Them (A Complete Pet Owner's Manual).

1 comments about American Cichlids II: Large Cichlids : A Handbook for Their Identification, Care, and Breeding.

1. This book is packed with information on some of the larger cichlids. It contains a lot of information not usually found in other aquarium-books I have read such as data from water samples on different water types.

   Every speicie is listed with information on breading, geographical location, author, water tempratures, specific traits, description of natural environment and similar speicies. The Photos are very good.

   I recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn more about American LARGE cichlids.

3 comments about Cats in the Parsonage (All God's Creatures Series, Book 1) (All God's Creatures).

1. Cute cat stories interspersed with miniature sermons.
   
   While I enjoyed the cat stories, I didn't think they were particularly well-written. Not poorly written, mind you, but it is quite clear that the author is not accustomed to writing long works or well-experienced at stringing his anecdotes together. (As he is a minister, I assume he is proficient at the shorter works he must compose every week for his sermons!)
   
   Most chapters end with a sermon, attempting to tie the stories of the chapter to a Christian lesson. These would have worked better for me if they had been gently worked into the chapters, but many will enjoy them -- I found them too preachy and an abrupt departure from the cutesy cat stories.
   
   Moreover, I think I would have been a lot more impressed with the lessons he claims to have learned from the cats if one of them had been "Hey, all these outdoor neighborhood cats we love keep getting run over by cars -- let's bring them inside or at least spay the mothers so they stop dropping doomed-to-die kittens" instead of "You should keep loving even though sometimes it ends up hurting you." It's really sad to read the occasional mentions of these poor outdoor critters among the cute indoor cat stories, and doubly sad because the author, his wife, and his neighbors don't seem to think about it or how they could stop it. Giving playful lectures to the stray female cats about promiscuity is all very well, but a trip to the vet would have been rather more effective.
   
   In the end, I can't recommend this book to cat lovers -- and who else would really be interested in it? I'll be selling my copy to the used bookshop or putting it up on BookMooch.com, because I'm not interested in keeping such a thing.



2. What is more fun if your a cat lover, than reading this wonderful book. Full of religion and cats. The preacher and his wife learn to enjoy the antics of their cats. This is a wonderful inspirational book.



3. I received this as a gift because I LOVE cats! I could only read so much. In the first 17 pages, the author has an "outside" cat that gives birth to 5 kittens, 2 of which get run over. Those 3 then have kittens of their own, bringing the total to 16 cats.
   The author doesn't think about being a responsible pet owner and having them spayed or nuetered. One of the cats has a
   hard time giving birth, and is weak and sick for days afterward. Does the owner take her to a vet? Of course not!
   He leaves everything up to God. The writing is peppered with religious talk that makes me sick, because the owners won't even take care of their pets! I couldn't finish the book- it made me so angry.

1 comments about Red-tailed Boas and Relatives.

1. Filled with lots of pictures including some nice ones of bolivians. Goes into detail about some of the different subspecies, and morphs. Also some genetic information on breeding.

1 comments about The Everything Cat Book (Everything: Pets).

1. Now in an updated second edition, The Everything Cat Book: All You Need to Know About Caring for Your favorite Feline Friends is a solid, well-rounded primer for prospective and current cat owners alike. Written by Karen Leigh Davis, a professional member of Cat Writers' Association Inc. whose work has appeared in "CATS Magazine" and "Cat Fancy", The Everything Cat Book covers the pros and cons of adopting a stray versus buying a purebred, how to tell a reputable breeder (one tip is to ask breeders questions about whether their litters are registered and how well their cats do in shows - unscrupulous breeders rarely bother with either, as registration fees cut into their profits), how to prepare for a new kitten, all aspects of feeding, grooming, litterbox cleaning, and dealing with behavior problems, what to expect when breeding cats and raising kittens, first aid and emergency care, showing cats, and much more. The writing is accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and the true value of The Everything Cat Book is its attention to detail - such as a lengthy list of common household plants that are toxic to cats. An absolute "must-read" for cat owners and cat fanciers everywhere.

No comments about Boots and Bandages (Threshold Picture Guides).

5 comments about Spirit Dogs: Heroes in Heaven.

1. Finding a place in your heart for this book should be easy.
   We all know what it's like to lose our best canine friend, but
   with this book nearby it'll be a whole lot easier.
   
   Why? Because they all have a special mission. As Susan
   Kelleher's delightful little book explains, the ones that came
   before are constantly training the ones that will be our
   next set of heroes. Their missions may be large, like
   helping rescue someone, or small, like that little tail wag
   that's meant just for us. Either way, every day they become
   our heroes.
   
   And when they pass, they know they won't be forgotten.
   Kelleher let's us in on a little secret, the love we feel for
   them when they're gone is just as special to them as what
   we felt when they were right there next to us.



2. I once witnessed a public reading by the author of this book. After it was over, virtually everyone left with tears in their eyes; not from discomfort, but from joy and relief. It was an incredibly moving experience. Certainly no book's approach to the loss of a pet is going to work for everybody, but this one has worked for hundreds and hundreds of people, and will hopefully continue to do so. I know that when I lose my beloved dog Brookie, I will be reading this again, searching for comfort.



3. I once witnessed a public reading of this book done by the author. Virtually everybody left with tears in their eyes; not tears of discomfort, but of joy and relief. All pet owners go through this process far too often; this book has helped hundreds and hundreds of people to cope with the loss of a pet and will hopefully continue to do so. No approach to coping with death works wonders for everyone; this one touches most. I know that when my beloved Brookie passes, I will be reading it again, looking for solace.



4. I lost my best pal of 11 years, Rattle, a month ago. A friend suggested this book, and I read it again and again. Susan writes in a way that soothes all the sadness and pain that only the loss of a pet can give you. Fabulous story, I recommend it whole-heartedly.



5. Do not look for this book to comfort you in your sorrow if you want to be of the belief that you will be reunited with your dog some day and go on together.

5 comments about The Basenji Out of Africa, Revised Edition: A New Look (Pure-bred).

1. This book went on a bit about specific basenjis and their blood lines. I found it a bit technical to tell you the truth. The first couple of chapters were excellent though where the author describes the personality of the fabulously independent basenji dog. Probably great if you are a breeder or seriously into the history of the basenji.



2. If you own a basenji or are curious about them, this book is for you!
   
   Coe tells us plenty about basenjis, which are native to eastern Zaire. These expressive dogs rarely pant, they rarely bark, and they rarely are obedient. More than any other dogs, they will look you straight in the eye. And they yodel in approval when you show up or offer food.
   
   These 30-pound dogs are very handsome, as they each sit like an Anubis. A black-and-white one will appear to be wearing a perpetual tuxedo, with ears up and a curled-up tail. They are fast and energetic escape artists. They are short-haired, and dislike cold or wet weather. One problem is that many of them have a tendency to nip at people without provocation.
   
   The author has a discussion of top show basenjis, with pictures of several of them. And advice for those who want to take their basenjis hunting, or racing (lure coursing), or enter their dog in obedience competitions (good luck!). And there's plenty of advice on breeding basenjis and caring for them.
   
   It's a great book for those who are interested in this unusual breed.



3. The basenji is a beautiful and exotic dog. They are very distinctive looking from their high, wrinkled foreheads to their doubly curled tails. Swift and long legged, the basenji moves with the grace of an Impala (the antelope, not the Chevrolet). Basenjis laugh and make a yodeling sound instead of barking. They also don't shed. Females come into season once a year whereas other breeds come into season twice a year.

   Basenjis have a long established history. They were the beloved pets of ancient Egyptian nobility. They figured prominently in art and Egyptian culture. Anubis, the Egyptian God of the underworld had a basenji head. Basenji shaped footstools and paintings of the exotic dog graced Egyptian homes and can now be found in museums.

   Basenjis were brought from Africa to Europe in the 1930s and have since become a loved and recognized breed worldwide.

   This book is a treasure trove of history about a delightful ancient breed. The pictures alone will delight any reader. Basenjis are truly special, lovable dogs.




4. This is a must have anyone that loves the Basenji. It is filled with an excellent history of the Basenji breed.



5. I own and love these dogs. This book helped a lot in answering many questions about the breed. A must for any Basenji household.