For the Love of a Dog: A Memoir

By Jenny Chandler

Book Overview

Following church services, twelve-year-old Elisabeth Rose stands patiently in the reception line, waiting to ask the Reverend Van Dyke if animals go to heaven. "No, honey," he says dismissively, turning to shake hands with the man behind her. "Why not?" she persists. "Why, honey, they don't have souls." As every animal lover knows, the Reverend Van Dyke is terribly wrong. For the Love of a Dog charts one woman's journey into the joyous, complicated, and mysterious communion people can have with animals. From her first dog, a mischievous fox terrier named Patches, to the thuggish finch, Pavarotti, who rooms with her in grad school and the haughty horse, Shannon, whom she coaxes into docility, Elisabeth Rose's account reveals her special sensitivity to the inner voice of creatures and their particular needs. Most especially, For the Love of a Dog is the story of Rose's relationship to her border collie, Kierney, a "brooding poet" -- intelligent, exuberant, remarkably conversant, but also anxiety-ridden and difficult -- who is misdiagnosed as insane. Told with power and deep insight, Rose chronicles the life of this extraordinary dog in a narrative infused with keen perceptions on fable and myth, spirituality, and the ways in which consciousness and language interact. Ultimately, Rose's fascination with the emotional and spiritual lives of her animal companions leads her to the answer to her own question. "If the soul flickers somewhere in our bodies like a wispy genie," Rose writes, "maybe it's in our brain stem, our medulla oblongata, our animal brain."

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0609606921
• ISBN13: 9780609606926
• Release Date: July 2001
• Publisher: Harmony
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 1.3" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Story of Love Beyond Measure

This is truly a wonderful book. Altho about a Border Collie - anyone who is guardian to a dog will enjoy this book. With compassion and Love, Elizabeth Rose tells her story about a dog with epilepsy. Forewarned, it will make you cry, but the tears are well worth the read. I Loved the book.

Elenna

"For the Love of a Dog" is for those of us who relate better to pets instead of people. This is a riveting book that is hard to put down. It is a very well written and heart-felt story about a Border collie.

For The Love Of A Dog

This book is worth reading if only for Kierney, the beautiful, tragic, brilliant dog who stole the author's heart as a tiny puppy and died at only four years of age. Despite what some people might say, I think Lisa did the best she could for Kierney. She made some mistakes, but we all do that, and when it counted, she was there for her dog. I have a Heeler mix with a congenital spine defect that keeps her from walking and...

This book is a splendid work of art

This is a stunning memoir of all the animals Elisabeth ever loved and/or interacted with. Especially dogs(via the title). But,as I was quite suprise,it is not just dogs. There are horses involved in this book too. A must for animal lovers, FOR THE LOVE OF A DOG, tells of the immense complexity that is the amazing relationship with and attachment to animals. It proves that animals really do have souls. Amazing book.

Good stuff - Recommend you read it!

A very good book. I normally do not like this sort of book/story/work, but this is different. Very well written and is great food for thought. Well done. Hope we see more of this writer.