Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 71-74 of 74
 Insightful depection of relationship between women and dog June 28, 1998
A wonderful account of the the relationship between a women and a dog. All female dog owners have been there. Warm and telling, warm and caring. The doubts, the uncertainties, the questions, and the bonding. If you're female, or even if you're male, you should read this book. I loved it. More books from Caroline Knapp - please.
 Serious dog lovers only - I couldn't take the repetition. June 25, 1998
7 out of 9 found this review helpful
Okay, I admit it: I am not a dog lover, so I'm probably not the prime target for this book. However, I did love Caroline Knapp's last book, "Drinking: A Love Story," and I eagerly awaited her next effort. I have to say I was a little disappointed. At 250 or so pages, this isn't a long book, but it feels like it should have been about 240 pages shorter. Knapp passes over the same territory again and again, often using the same images and descriptions. They're ones that seemed fresh to me in "Drinking" (there's never just rage, but "oceans" or "rivers" of it; "add venom and stir," a great description of anger, has multiplied into at least 5 versions of the "and stir" or "stew" images) but now seem tired and unimaginative. These are stylistic concerns, though - my biggest problem with this book is that despite its attempts at characterizing its chapters with headings like "Therapy Dog," in the end each section is more and more of the same. It reminded me a little of Stewart Smalley, the character from Saturday Night Live who repeated, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and gosh darn it, people like me." Caroline loves her dog Lucille more than anything; Lucille loves her (she hopes.) And, gosh darn it, she's okay with that, so you should be, too.
Thoughtful analysis of the dog-human relationship June 25, 1998
Caroline Knapp is an extremely sensitive person who has given a great deal of thought to the role of her dog in her life. She wrestles with many of the feelings that a caring dog-owner has, including the fact that our pets have to live a human lifestyle and don't get to do many dog activities (like hunting prey). She has read a great deal about dog-human relationships and her source notes provide many ideas for further reading on this topic. For another perspective on this subject I would recomment Dominance and Affection: the Making of Pets by Yi-Fu Tuan.
 Wonderful Vindication for Doglovers June 24, 1998
I kept nodding as I read this book, and I plan to give it to my sister next. Great Book!
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