One of the perks of writing for The Jolt is that we are surrounded by other columnists who inspire us to try to do our best. The newest addition to this great lineup is Sound Words by Amy Lewis. Her insightful look at literature, focusing on the Thurston County region, is another one of the must-read columns that come out every week.
It also features one of the simple pleasures in life that some pet owners (as well as non-pet owners) enjoy as we head into the colder weather. At Trish’s house it’s adorable dogs, a comfy couch with a tasty beverage and country music while next door at Thom’s, it’s spoiled rotten cats stealing his chair in his library den, hot tea and the sounds of Tito Puente playing in the background.
Both scenarios are completed with a good book.
Looking through our respective libraries, we thought we might highlight a few of our favorite animal-themed books and see if you can guess which books came from whose library, Trish or Thom’s.
Let’s start off with Sea Pup –1954 – Original title: Here’s Buster! (Thank goodness they changed it!) Written by Archie Binns. It’s the story of a young boy on Hood Canal who finds an orphaned seal pup and brings it home to care for it. (Spoiler Alert: He names it Buster.) Everything is fine of course until Buster grows up and some of his neighbors do not find it so cute anymore. It is a typical rite of passage type of tale, but it also describes an era of Puget Sound that no longer exists today. I must admit that I read this as a youth and prefer to keep my memories from that moment in time exactly as they are.
Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond between People and Dogs – 1998 Written by the late, exceptional writer, Caroline Knapp. This is a magnificent book where this gifted author searches the rich, complicated terrain of human-animal relationships. Knapp explores the shift in dog roles from working partner to intimate companion and how this new kinship, this wordless bond, becomes what we desire most for ourselves.
When Elephants Weep: The Emotional lives of Animals – 1995 Written by Jeffrey Masson and Susan McCarthy. The inside of the fly leaf says it all: “This is not only an important book, it’s marvelous. If animals could read they would be filled with joy and gratitude to the authors. - Jane Goodall”. From dancing squirrels and bashful gorillas to spiteful killer whales, the authors bring forth insight to the existence of animal emotions. Of course, we already know this.
(Something for George) Hope is the Thing with Feathers: A Personal Chronicle of Vanished Birds – 2000 Written by Christopher Cokinos. This is a very well written book about the sad demise of six species of birds in this country and the possible causes of their extinction. As this was written in 2000, who knows what has happened since then as we doubt we have learned our lessons from this story.
The Last Panda – 1993 Written by George B. Shaller. At the time this book was written in 1993 there were only about 1,000 giant pandas left in the world. Skip forward to 2024 and, according to World Population Review, there are now 1,864 giant pandas in the wild and 66 in captivity in zoos around the world on loan from China. However, despite the success, this in no way diminishes the significance of this book. The problems that existed then could just as easily persist today. The authors not only tracked the giant pandas but several other rare animals and shows the problems that are created when you mix conservation with politics.
The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be 1957 Written by Farley Mowat. Farley Mowat’s best-loved book tells the story of his childhood on the Canadien prairies. The pedigree of Mutt, young Mowat’s canine friend, was uncertain, but their madcap adventures were indisputable. Mutt climbed trees and ladders, rode in an open car wearing goggles, and displayed skills that bordered on genius. He was a marvelous dog, worthy of an unusual boy growing up.
Why Cats Paint: A theory of feline aesthetics – 1994 Written by Heather Busch and Burton Silver. If you’re a cat lover, or know a cat lover, then this book is for you. The actual paintings by 11 different cats (all “artists” with their own styles) are incredible and the writing is written in a style that would make even the most pretentious art critic sit up straight and take notice. It makes a great Christmas gift.
Pukka’s Promise: The Quest for longer-lived Dogs – 2009 Written by Ted Kerasote. This one is neither of our book collections but was suggested to us by one of our faithful readers, Kelly O, after our column on Thom’s dog, Toshiro. The storyline is very compelling as the author had just lost his previous dog, Merle, and after 5 years decided to get a new dog, Pukka. This is where this book comes in. In an effort to give Pukka the best life possible, the author delves into every aspect of that. So much has changed in how we care for our fur friends, not just dogs, but cats and all our animals. How we feed them, vaccinate them, train them, care for them, and live with them has changed so drastically in just the last ten years that this book gives new insight into all of this. And while the story is about a dog, there is much that benefits cat owners as well. This book, which is actually part of a three book “series”, will make it to one of our libraries along with the other two.
And lastly,
Flowers for Algernon – 1959 Written by Daniel Keyes. Okay, okay, we know this isn’t exactly a “pet book” but... it does have a very cute little white mouse named Algernon in it. The movie, Charly, for which Cliff Robertson won a well-deserved Best Actor Oscar, was very well done but nothing compares to the original book which was actually a short story expanded into the novel that we know today. The story explores themes about life, the limits of science, and whether knowledge is really more valuable than happiness. A recurring sub plot is the battle of wits between Charlie and a white lab mouse named Algernon. At first Charlie “hates” Algernon because he can never outperform him and feels like his competitor but after surpassing Algernon’s maze-solving ability, he becomes Algernon’s protector, developing a strong sympathy for Algernon, locked in a cage. Always has been, always will be, one of Thom’s favorite books.
Well? How did you do? If you guessed that 5 came from Thom’s library (1,3,4,5 & 9) and 3 from Thrish’s collection (2,6, & 7) with #8 from our faithful reader, Kelly O, then give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back!
Paws for Thoughts: “P.S. please if you get a chanse put some flowrs on Algernons grave in the bak yard.” - Charly Gordon
Thom Donitz and Trish Lynn are neighbors and close friends who share their love of animals and wildlife. Trish and Thom are residents of Tumwater. Contact them at pets@theJOLTnews.com.
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