Book Review: Blue Zeus, Legend of the Red Desert (OT)(a photographic tale of wild horses and their round-up in the American West)

Blue Zeus, Legend of the Red Desert, by Carol Walker (Living Images, 144 pages, $49.95, 2022) Reviewed by Skye Anderson.

A very special book for horse lovers and animal rescuers of all ages. The author, an extremely talented photographer, has created a loving tribute to a loving equine leader of his extended family. 

A Powerful Pictorial Tale

More than a coffee-table book, Blue Zeus (BZ) tells the story of author Carol Walker 'meeting' and following the patriarch of a wild horse family in the American West and of the government round-up of wild horses and what happens to the stallion Blue Zeus and his family. You will find yourself rooting for him (and his family) all the way to a special ending. 

What We Would Change

We would caption all the photographs, however, and perhaps even include, not a family tree per se, but maybe a picture dictionary of who's who in the fairly large family. 

I also never really understood why BZ was so special or why Walker fell in love with him but I do respect her for respecting wild animals (and we really don't think of horses as being wild animals but we should and this book helps educate us to do so). 

I also didn't really understand the helicopter round-up of horses - did they all go to families? I don't think so. To rescues and sanctuaries? To become dog food? Or is this another aspect of the Western Rancher-Farmer Wars? Perhaps an explanation of the round-ups, neutrally of course, would help the reader learn about them. And the crux of the matter may just be the farmer-ranchers vs the wild horses.

Summary

This is a lovely niche book with fantastic photography (though I think a few fewer photographs would be an improvement). The reader truly grows to know this horse family and care about them!

Book Review: In the Company of Soldiers: A Chronicle of Combat (Iraq, 2003)(OT) Part 2 of 2

In the Company of Soldiers: A Chronicle of Combat, by Pulitzer Prize* Winning Rick Atkinson (Henry Holt and Company, 2005, 352 pp) Reviewed by Skye Anderson (post-military book club discussion)

Yesterday we reviewed the book In the Company of Soldiers: A Chronicle of Combat prior to our military book club meeting. I like to do this, then take notes on the the book club's remarks, just to compare my thoughts with those of the group's. Our book club consists of about 10 people who are veterans or retirees (also veterans!), most of whom are men (I was the token female today.). We have all the services represented and a couple of us have been deployed.

Today's blog will be short - I was late tuning in to the zoom meeting because the start time advertised was incorrect. Nevertheless, I easily found out that most of the others really liked In the Company of Soldiers. I was one of two would not necessarily recommend it (as to why, see the previous blog below). (I think the default is to recommend a book though, rather than to say you disliked it.)

We have a fantastic facilitator, a Naval Academy graduate, and we all know each other, having been together (starting in person, pre-pandemic) for about four years of reading and chatting and, of course, with shared backgrounds in the military (though different services, different ranks, different time periods).

Today's discussion, however, seemed to be more about the topic, especially General Petraeus, than about the book itself, which is fine but still needs to be pointed out. At times, though, a couple of us read from the book what we felt was significant to illustrate something - and the others seems to remember the quote in question most of the time. One standout for me was the coordination of the different services, another was the fact that General Petraeus did not stay in his headquarters but continually moved from unit to unit to check on his soldiers (and the war).

Each year we meet about five times and our books cover everything military - from battle books to memoirs, including those about women soldiers, and we try to read a book from each of the major conflicts each year, from the Civil War to World War I and II, to Korea, Vietnam and now Iraq and Afghanistan. Personal experiences shared with the group are meaningful.

And members of our military book club are truly "in the company of soldiers"!

Book Review: In the Company of Soldiers: A Chronicle of Combat (Iraq, 2003)(OT)

In the Company of Soldiers: A Chronicle of Combat, by Pulitzer Prize* Winning Rick Atkinson (Henry Holt and Company, 2005, 352 pp) Reviewed by Skye Anderson (pre-military book club discussion)

"I thought of Robert E. Lee's melancholy insight, about how fortunate we are that war is so terrible, or men would grow too fond of it." (p 207-8)

It All Started 30+ Years Ago

Do you mix up the two Gulf Wars? The one in 1991 and the one in 2003? Or confuse them with the Afghanistan War which took place during the Second Gulf War? 

Never fear - this book is almost a play-by-play account of the 101st Airborne in the Second Gulf War, from pre-deployment planning and training, through the fighting weeks as reported by a journalist embedded with General Petraeus.

Author Rick Atkinson is no soldier** but he is an accomplished journalist. He tells of the times he didn't pack the suggested items and came to regret it, and the times he misplaced his gas mask and couldn't find it in the dark** and the times he. . . . but, on the whole, this is a war story. A long war story which brought back many memories of my own Army days and my own deployment.

You Will Like. . . .

Atkinson has included an extensive dictionary of acronyms, only a few of which I knew. And male soldiers or airmen or sailors will read the book quickly and understand it all, from the unit names (battalion, brigade) and their numbers (3ID, etc.). Fortunately, good maps are also included for this play-by-play description of the war (but thumbing to them will slow you down as will constantly referring to the 'dictionary' of acronyms). War afficionados will devour the story's timeline but those of us who know less, will soon be bored.

Told by a journalist who hasn't been in the military can be fun when he writes about a surface-to-air missile ambush, a SAMbush but the humor is few and far between. After all, this is a war book, a 'chronicle of combat.'

Percolating throughout the book are many snippets of Arabic history and biblical names from this former history major turned journalist as well as real gems like what the heat felt like, what the smells were as he encountered them, even a few gorgeous sunsets.

Before and During

In the Company of Soldiers is separated into two parts - before and during. This reviewer liked the 'before' part best: the 'during' part was fairly dry and a day-by-day or play-by-play account which might appeal more to infantry types who know their weapons of war.

The Infantry Waddle

"They lumbered past in a column, sweating beneath the weight of body armor, canteens, smoke canisters, knee pads, anti-tank weapons, rifles, night-vision goggles, M-249 light machine guns, gas masks - all the accoutrements of modern combat." (p 197-8) Much like Vietnam. . . . 

Atkinson writes of his soldiers taking a knee and pointing their weapons to the ground, trying to defuse a situation (which probably happened several times) and taking down a statue of Sadam, which also happened in several locations. But most of all, Atkinson shows us General Petraeus who did not stay safe in HQ but constantly moved among his troops. In addition we learn about planners who often would change orders at the last minute and from far away. SNAFU indeed!

*An Army at Dawn

**"Squeezing into the rear seat of the Humvee, I was nearly immobilized by the gear wedged around my feet and shoulders - flak vest, helmet, CamelBak, day bag, camera, notebook, gas mask, map board, and the bank of radios. Almost every day I absentmindedly left one or more items behind - in the tent, on a helicopter, atop a vehicle hood - and only the attentive forbearance of Miller and Fivecoat had kept me from scattering half my possessions in a personal debris field across Iraq." (p 223)

NEXT: Comments from a military book club composed of veterans who read and discussed In the Company of Soldiers

Book Review: A Dog of Many Names (a short sweet book about a dog)

A Dog of Many Names, by Douglas Green* (Circuit Breaker Books, 2020, 179 pp, $13.95) Reviewed by Skye Anderson.

If a cat has nine lives, how many lives does a dog have?

After reading A Dog Of Many Names, you may just know the answer.**

"If the Dog Dies, I Don't Want to Read the book or See the Movie"

My friends will not read any book in which the dog dies.

But what if the dog lives many lives and has many names (even Goofhead and Catnip) - some good,  some bad - and many experiences: some good, some bad - so that you are on a constant roller coaster of smiles before the suspense and then warm cuddles followed by dread anticipation?

The Plot(s)

Each iteration of the dog (possibly a German Shepherd Dog mix) has a name, except for those lives in which our dog doesn't live with a human family but on her own. She loved being born into little Angela's family even as she was the sensitive runt of the litter, until something changed but, just like a dog, we are not sure what that was.

And our rascal becomes a desert dog living on her own until she becomes Reina and lives with a Mexican family until. . . and you get the picture of an odyssey which finally culminates in an older version of our dog ready for the Rainbow Bridge.

But, wait! There's more!

Writing Style

Author Douglas Green sneaks in little snippets of gems that you have to be on the look-out for: "Angela, . . . the girl, wondering which, between the dog and her, loved the other more." (p. 21)

A few years and adventures pass in which our little dog manages to survive, sometimes on her own, and the reader gradually comes to the realization that the dog, formerly the runt of the litter, gradually learns to take care of herself yet still maintains a sense of submission and sensitivity toward humans, recognizing a change in their mood and wanting to comfort them, while at other times, somehow knowing who are the bad guys.

Green seemed so utterly fascinating that I just had to look him up. A Los Angeles movie person for 20 years, he then became a psychotherapist which may explain his warm insights into how a dog may think. Growing up, he had and lost several dogs that he loved deeply - this occurrence also following him into his adult life, giving him rich fodder for this little book of inspiring fiction. 

I also had to look up the artist who is a high-school student - Kaiden Krepela whose art work reminds you of an artist you love but who also has an interest and aptitude in engineering and science. 

*Also author of The Teachings of Shirelle

**I didn't count dog lives but the book has 12 chapters. I wonder if that means the score is Cats - 9, Dogs - 12, in which case the dogs win. Go, Dogs!

Book Review: The Wedding Plot (murder mystery, dogs, Vermont, female veteran)

The Wedding Plot: A Mercy Carr Mystery, by Paula Munier (Minotaur Books, 2022, 342 pp, $27.99) Book 4 in a series of 5 (so far), reviewed by Skye Anderson

Good, Fast, Too Long?

Ah, the fourth in a series of five* canine murder mysteries (don't worry, the dog doesn't die) of which we have already read and reviewed two. Like the others, a long book that reads quickly due to abundant action over just a few days. Like Russian novels, there are a lot of characters that take time figuring out who is who if this is the first book in the series that you read. But, starting with The Wedding Plot still gives you the background and you will want to quickly read the others, too.

Characters and Plot

An ex-MP (military policewoman) with a military working dog she inherited from her fiance who was killed in Afghanistan, living in Vermont with an interesting and challenging family. Grandmother Patience is a veterinarian, a country woman with a wise, caring head on her shoulders, while Mother Grace is an attorney in Boston and quite the punctilious, detailed controlling woman. Enter, in this fourth book, the doctor-brother of our protagonist, Mercy, and a few relatives of Grandmother's fiance whom we meet at the country inn where the multi-day wedding extravaganza is starting to take place.

And we also have a love-interest for our heroine in the appearance in every book of Vermont Ranger Troy and his sidekick dog, Susie Bear.

The plot is quite convoluted which is why, dear reader, you should set aside at least a couple of devoted evenings so you don't forget who is who. We have a disappearance, a 20-year-old set of bones, a thunderstorm, some shots fired and the best hospital scene I have read in a long time (great for a movie)! 

Plus, surprises all the way through in the guise of the author playing with her readers. "Bodhi stood before a cheap mirror in a cheap bathroom in a cheap room in a cheap motel." (p. 75) "A quick catnap and he'd be ready to go on the prowl." (p. 77)

Plus, when I came across a triplet of words that rang a bell, I went back to my two previous reviews** to find the same fun triplets. I may have missed some: it would be challenging to read this book in a book club and have a contest of noticing the most triplets! Triplets like 'snorting and sniffling and snuffling' with a bonus of 42 chapters (how I love short chapters - you can put a book down without losing much) that are not titled but 'titled' with a quote about love. 

Of course, this book is about love and weddings and though it takes place in June (duh!), it would make a nice read in February, perhaps around the 14th.

And the Dogs!

For dog lovers, the Mercy Carr books have Elvis (Malinois/German Shepherd mix**) and Susie Bear (Newfie/retriever mix) constantly appearing. Thank goodness. And author Paula Munier does the dogs right. Elvis is ex-military and true to his breed(s) is always 'on point,' while Susie Bear lives up to her name and appearance as a big goofy personality dog - both well-trained and part of the plot.

We would have preferred, not a Mal mix but a Golden or Lab, along with different names than Elvis but those are minor points for a book that reminds one of the fun Spencer Quinn books with Chet and Bernie, like Scents and Sensibility.

*Book 5 is available for pre-order, Home at Night

The Hiding Place (book 3)

A Borrowing of Bones (book 1)

** helpful hint: the author refers to her dog Elvis as the shepherd at times. She means her Malinois x German Shepherd Dog mix.

Book Review: Nose Work Handler: Foundation to Finesse (again!)

Nose Work Handler: Foundation to Finesse, by Fred Helfers (Fred Helfers?, 2017, 142 pp, $29.95) Reviewed by Skye Anderson.

Not a DIY Manual or Personal Workbook

This reviewer was excited to see Nose Work Handler come out, one of the first books about the new dog sport of nose work, a smelling activity (odor detection). As a matter of fact, this reviewer even started the instructor certification program in nose work until it became too expensive, requiring travel to out of state workshops.

Remember Who Has the Nose: Trust the Dog

Nose Work Handler has a lot going for it, from an excellent (too detailed?) explanation (anatomy and physiology) of a dog's nose and how it works to leash handling to search strategies to training programs and handler errors. Self-published, author Fred Helfers has started with an outline and merely filled it in, along with a few anecdotes. He finishes with plenty of references and even a glossary as well as an index in this little book.

I was hoping this book would be the one I could use to help my private clients get started having fun with their dog or even purchase it and use it with their dog. Instead, it is useful for knowledge about the canine nose and perhaps for review if one and one's dog already do some nose work - or if the team wants to advance.

Helfers also gives workshops around the world and has previously worked with his dogs in police narcotics detection. His website, FredHelfers.com, has plenty of material, including some free webinars on leash handling during detection activities (with a long leash)(though whether the webinar itself is free or just the preview is hard to tell at first glance).

And, would you believe, DogEvals reviewed Nose Work Handler just a month ago! How did that happen? It certainly is embarrassing and would be more believable (but still not professional) had we reviewed it when it first came out and then forgotten, but, last month. . . . ?

So, to read another review and compare, go here. Or, check out other books and materials about nose work at www.Dogwise.com! Author Fred Helfers also has perfected a record-keeping system with a log and instructions to help make it easier to improve performance and develop training goals - useful in just about any field of endeavor.

And remember: it's all just a game. Have fun!

Book Review: Perish (OT)(a Texas family saga)

Perish, by Latoya Watkins (Penguin Random House, 2022, $27, 322 pp) Reviewed by Skye Anderson

At least the title of this book is understandable early on!

Perhaps the most creative, unique way of writing a book that I have ever seen but you have to read with pencil and paper handy. A family tree is diagrammed in the front and each chapter in a section is named for the major character who writes that chapter. Even the year it takes place is part of many chapter titles.

Even though this helps, I still needed pen and paper to keep just the major characters straight, let alone the minor ones. This would make a murder mystery story unforgettable! And as some are, clues are given early on but the real story is told more towards the end and not chronologically.

Whew!

An easy read, however, with lots of dialogue. Each chapter author (title, too) can almost be identified by the writing style, especially the educated tone of the police office.

Multi-Generational Saga, from 1955 to the 20-teens

Perish begins with an attempted abortion and ends with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a hospital no less! With a dying matriarch all the way through.

But that's not the real story! The real story of this multigenerational saga covers just about every incident known to man from banishing a 14-year-old boy to sleep in the shed to an attempted abortion in an outhouse to disciplining children with the stroke of a hand to a dog that is . . . well, I won't get into that. Another dog is chained up outside. But this is Texas with a moderate climate. Add close girl cousins, one of whom idolizes the other and several adult couples who speak of love. 

What more could you ask for in a book, a novel about family with the bad, the good and the ugly all rolled into one!

Love the cover illustration!