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"Feel good" books about animals

pgwenthold

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OK, so my wife is a vet, and I've decided to start her a collection of books about animals. But I want "feel good" animal books, one that a vet would enjoy to read (Cujo and Jaws need not apply)

Unfortunately, the only really feel good animal books I know are those from my youth. Things like Call of the Wild by Jack London, Where the Red Fern Grows, Charlotte's Web (two love stories), Stuart Little (speaking of EBWhite), and, while speaking of mice, there are Beverly Cleary's Mouse and the Motorcycle and Runaway Ralph ("Great green gobs of greasy grimey gopher guts")

OK, so I know some kids books, but does anyone know any more adult literature on the topic? I realize that the genre is more youth oriented, but there might be something out there. Any help?
 
I guess Watership Down would probably be out, too? :p

I got an autographed copy of All Creatures Great and Small from my in-laws, who lived in England near the vet who wrote it. It has a lot of great stories about being a country vet over there. I understand he wrote at least 2 or 3 other novels in the same vein.

*googles for author's name*

Ah yes, James Herriot. Would like to buy an autographed copy of one of his books? ;)

MHB
 
When elephants weep (Joseph Moussaieff Masson)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385314280/002-8438723-4490405?v=glance&n=283155
Comes within a hair's breadth of being a well put together argument against the Descartian notion of animals as automata, but completely fails to actually take that step and remains a nice collection of cute anecdotes.

The Lives of Animals (J.M. Coetzee)
http://www.pupress.princeton.edu/titles/6543.html
Been a while since I read this one; not sure I can add much to the review at that url.

A sand county almanac (Aldo Leopold)
A classic, often presented as the foundation of the modern ethic of conservation biology. But that treatment of it really focusses on a few pages from the third section (`The upshot') of the book; the first two sections (`A sand county almanac' and `Sketches from here and there') include lots of stories of the animal and other citizens of Wisconsin.

Various titles by Barry Lopez. I think `Of wolves and men' and `Arctic dreams' may be the ones I have in mind, but my memory is not what it once was :)
http://www.barrylopez.com/

The wild parrots of telegraph hill: not a book, and I haven't seen it. But I've heard good reviews
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...8438723-4490405?_encoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=130...
Oh. There is a book version, too:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0609610554/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_0_0/002-8438723-4490405?ie=UTF8
 
ooh_child said:
I guess Watership Down would probably be out, too? :p

I got an autographed copy of All Creatures Great and Small from my in-laws, who lived in England near the vet who wrote it. It has a lot of great stories about being a country vet over there. I understand he wrote at least 2 or 3 other novels in the same vein.

*googles for author's name*

Ah yes, James Herriot. Would like to buy an autographed copy of one of his books? ;)
Click to expand...

PM me with a price.

In fact, my wife has 4 other Herriot books on the shelf already.
 
How about a classic like Born Free by Joy Adamson. I've loved that book since I was 12 years old (and now I'm over 40).

I also thought of another book Seventh Heaven (no relation to that tv program) by Alice Hoffman. A german shepherd dog is one of the main characters and, for me, one of the most memorable. I think an animal lover (and a veterinarian) would like the book very much.

Peace,

Saint Dymphna
 
This kind of book constituted my meat and bread throughout my entire childhood :)
Consequently, most of what I can recall is aimed at kids and teenagers. I remember one "adult" standout, though: "Red Fox", by Charles Robert. Very thrilling and very non-cute fox life story.

"Watership Down" is so excellent and influential that your wife will not be able to dodge it for long, in the unlikely event that she has done so until now.

Gerald Durrell's books are every one a good read. Even better than his expedition and zoo-building accounts are his memoirs of a nature-steeped childhood in Corfu (the first of which is "My family and other animals").
 
I was going to recommend Gerald Durrell - his stories are amazing. and James Herriot as well, who is something of a national treasure in the UK. (or was until he died anyway)

There is a very good author called Deric Longden who initially wrote about his experience of caring for his wife through M.E., and his mother through a stroke (both of which are wonderful stories), but he also has written some very nice books about his cats - I can thoroughly recommend 'I'm A Stranger Here Myself' and 'The Cat Who Came In From The Cold'

101 Dalmations? - more children's fiction I guess :)

In terms of fiction - William Horwood's 'Duncton' books are very good indeed, if a little heavy-going.

Ooo oo ooo - just thought of another one. It's not an 'animal' book as such, but Mark Wallingford wrote two amazing books about travelling with his dog (actually it wasn't his..but it's not important) the books are called '500 Mile Walkies' and 'Boogie Up The River' (you can buy them as a single volume called 'Travels With Boogie') - they are very good indeed, and tell two lovely stories about Mark walking the South-West Coastal path in England, and boating up the Thames to find the source of the river . Very funny indeed, and the dog is a major character - in every sense of the word :)
 
I almost forgot: Beautiful Jim Key : The Lost History of a Horse and a Man Who Changed the World by Mim Eichler Rivas A true and very moving story.
 
If you don't mind fantasies, try the Redwall stories by Brian Jacques. No humans in this world, just intelligent, somewhat anthropomorphic animals. Some bits are cutesy enough to uncurdle sour milk, but there are fierce (though small-scale) battles that the losers don't walk away from. Suitable for anyone from pre-teens to adults.
 
oh but the otter dies.....right?

It was a great movie.

Anyway, there are some great cat books, the curmudgeon and the cat series....anyone remember the correct title?

then there is a really funny mystery series by Marion Babson...with a cat...

"Murder at the Cat show" is wonderfully funny and the cats are great. And I LOVE this book....

Nine lives to murder
by Marian Babson



alibris has copies of this really cheap. A lot of her "cat" books only feature a cat in a minor role. But Murder at the Cat Show and "9 LIves to Murder" are fantastic. In 9 lives an actor takes a blow to the head and changes places with a cat. The "cat" is in a coma in the hospital in his body, and he, in the cats body has to figure out who is trying to kill him. It's very realistic and very funny. By that I mean in both books the cats act like cats. LIght reading sure, but why not?
 
You might want to check out books by Farley Mowat (Never Cry Wolf is his most famous, although Owls in the Family was also good) as many of his works were pro-animal. Not exactly for kids though, more like for readers age 10+.
 
"Animals in Translation" by ??? and Catherine Johnson Nonfiction

"Seabiscuit"

"Wicked" has an interesting take on Animals, though that's a smaller theme in an adult book.
 
The Dogs of Bedlam Farm and A Dog Year by Jon Katz
Amazing Gracie by Dan Dye
Bark If You Love Me by Louise Bernikow

...and a couple more kids' titles:

Gentle Ben by Walt Morey
Babe: The Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith (and just about any other book by King-Smith.
 
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