Cooking with Dogs by: Karen Dowell Two Dog Press

Have you ever heard the old Chinese proverb, "A picture is worth a thousand words?" Well, Karen proves that a word can be worth a thousand pictures. If you don't have a coffee table, I would suggest you get one. Just leave this book on the table. Your guests are sure to pick it up and casually leaf through it. If you want your guests to know what kind of a person you are, as if they don't know already, Cooking with Dogs wil give them a little insight into where youÕre at. This book, in both word and image, not only expresses a true affection and respect for dogs, but also compels you to put yourself in their place----to empathize with them as if living in their world. If you haven't noticed, Karen put a capital ÒDÓ on ÒDogsÓ in the title. This is a proper noun if there ever was one. Free verse, not 60's Greenwich Village "I see a fly on the ceiling of being" gibberish, but more in the style of Robert Service. It is poetic, not pubescent. Images conjured up in words that bring back memories of scenes from your home movies. If theyÕre not experiences you've had with your own pooch, they will be now. What do you think? HereÕs an example of her prose:

If Dogs Could Fly If dogs could fly, would they loose their manners, hover over the stove sampling forbidden treats, ignoring the fruit bowl while nudging open the cookie jar, leaving telltale drizzles of drool? If dogs could fly, would they soar through the woods, dodging branches, whirling around tree trunks, teasing red squirrels--- or roll on their backs in mid-air and bark in pure joy? If dogs could fly, would they pause before you, wagging as they stare into your eyes, kissing your face until your nose and cheeks are shiny with saliva, knowing you can't scold them for jumping up? If dogs could fly, would they remember to come, sit, stay, heel, lie down------or just laugh because life is too cool to obey... At least until supper.

This is me talking now. Wouldn't it be nice if humans could fly? Could we be alive and feel the joy of life as intensely as our fur-faced friends? I'm just going to give you one more taste of this delicious book. You're going to have to buy it if you want any more.

Love Story Mac met Disney when he was just a pup, barely out of obedience school. He'd never seen a spaniel before, a girl with spots and longhair, who'd let him chase her through blueberry barrens and spruce forest. For six months, they courted, sneaking away for walks in the woods. Skinny dips in the salt pond, romps in the meadow. Mac, with his bronzed big-boy looks, Disney, shining and sweet, they were a handsome couple, who loved to spend hours playing-------nibbling each other's necks in a quiet corner far from owner eyes. When Disney moved away, she never said goodbye. She didn't know she was being shipped four thousand miles to wait out quarantine in a British kennel. Mac moped for months. His love was gone. Her house empty. Her smell fading. Seven years later, he still cries when he hears her name.

Me again. And people say, ÒHe's just a dog.Ó There are many more of these gracefully expressed thoughts in this book. It would be well worth the tariff just to be able to read this wonderful prose over and over. But wait! ThereÕs much more than that. There are full-color reproductions of glorious illustrations. At least that's what they're called in the credits in the back of the book. I, personally, would call them art. My definition of an illustration is just as the name implies. An illustration is the result of the efforts of an artisan who has the technical capability to recreate and ÒillustrateÓ an instant in time or thought in her/his own personal style, with flair. I think some of these images could be classified as art. You decide. Here are a few samples:

Art, schmart! Whatever they are, they're darn good! They'll make you smile. TheyÕll make you think. TheyÕll even make you (if youÕre a wuss like me) go, ÒAaahh, isn't that cute?Ó Cooking With Dogs is not a big belly-bloating meal. I wish it were. Ms. Dowell is a Master Chef. She conjures up a tasty meal. One that fills you up juuust enough. Hey Karen! When are you coming up with Cooking with Dogs, Part 2? IÕm still hungry! Click Here to Order Via Amazon

A former business writer, Karen Dowell has been cooking with dogs since 1989, when her chronically hungry yellow lab discovered the advantages of positioning himself between the stove and the refrigerator. Her dog stories and poems have appeared in several journals and anthologies. This is her first book about dogs. She lives in Maine with her husband and labrador retriever sons.

"Two Dog Press is an independent publisher based on the coast of Maine. We love dogs. We're the type of people who carry pictures of their dogs everywhere. We don't own a stitch of clothing or piece of furniture that doesn't have dog hair on it. We always carry plastic bags filled with treats in our pockets. And we plan our daily schedules and vacations around our two Labrador Retrievers, who are always eager to remind us when they want to go out."

CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MAIN PAGE