Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog, Ted Kerasote

"You need a book, and I'm it."

This unforgettable story begins when a big golden dog emerges along the San Juan River at the same time Ted and his river-rafting friends are camping in the desert. As the story unfolds, we are taken on an amazing journey of Ted and Merle’s life. At times, this book is humorous, instructive, and heartwarming. It provides the reader with a wonderful story, masterfully written with impressive amounts of science and technical information on a range of subjects related to man’s best friend. In telling Merle's story, Kerasote explores the science behind canine behavior and evolution, weaving in research that bond human and canine together, with musings on the way dogs sees the world.

This is true love story of Ted and Merle as they grow over the years. Merle's story, as told through Ted, can put Merle’s words on the page, "You need a dog, and I'm it." When you read the story, you gather that Merle taught Ted that great things could happen if humans change their behavior, instead of always trying to change the behavior of their dogs. The prevailing wisdom is that dogs must be trained and molded a certain way, and treated as though they have no independent powers of judgment. Ted suggests that owners provide more personal freedom and less about controlling the dog. Merle learned the ways of bison, ground squirrels, his dog pals and coyotes, and then taught Ted the fullness of his experiences including hunting, town politics, and life in nature.

This is a story of a deep, life-changing friendship that few of us have ever experience in our lives. It is a love story, and a tale of life's deepest lessons, told with such high spirits that the reader cannot stop reading until the very end. The epiphany begins when Ted installs a dog door to the trailer in his office. Merle taught Ted that a dog can develop to his full potential, when allowed to make his own decisions. Merle developed a life of his own, patrolling the small settlement where they lived with his dog companions. I only wish I could provide my dog with a mountain range teeming with wildlife, a town full of friendly people, and dogs to romp with off leash.

With this story, you'll laugh and cry, and you will learn a thing or two, and you'll likely be left ready to have a better relationship with your dog. A must own for anyone who's ever lived with, lived near, seen or even heard about dogs. Read it, shed some tears of joy, and give it to your friends, as this is a magical book. "You need a book, and I'm it."

I Love Molasses

Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol

Let's start with the question every Dan Brown fan wants answered: Is The Lost Symbol as good as The Da Vinci Code? Simply put, NO. The book is entertaining but the ending needs some revisions. Can I insert my own ending, Dan? I read in a review or two, which stated, “Just read the first 450 pages and then put in your own ending.” The Lost Symbol isn't a bad book, but it is a letdown for Dan-followers.

The Lost Symbol begins with an ancient ritual, a shadowy enclave, and Masonic secrets. Again, Harvard professor Robert Langdon finds himself in predicaments that require his vast knowledge of symbology and his superior problem-solving skills to save the day. The setting is stateside, where returning hero Langdon comes to Washington to give a lecture at the behest of his old mentor, Peter Solomon. When he arrives at the U.S. Capitol for his lecture, he ends up all over town decoding this and that and on a quest to find the Ancient Mysteries. With every entertaining plot twist, they are roughly where you would expect them. We learn how the nation's capital is filled with mystical symbols and sacred buildings. Deadly chases careen back and forth, across, above and below the nation's capital. Kathleen, Peter’s younger sister, and Langdon dart from revelation to revelation, pausing only to explain some piece of wondrous, historical and secretive artifact. This is the plot for most of the book.

But this book has a few flaws. For one thing, the CIA is involved because of a potential revelation that could have catastrophic implications for national security. Only when the Ancient Mysteries are revealed, it just wasn’t that disreputable. The nation and the world could survive just fine. But the whole book centers on a CIA story, which just seems a bit silly in the end. I felt as if he wrote down ideas that came to him on little scraps of paper and pasted them all together, or he found some cool places on Wikipedia and tried to tie the story together with scotch tape. The scotch tape had fallen apart by the last page and the author’s deadline had come and gone. Like many people, I found this book to be entertaining most of the way through, but was disappointed by the ending. Of the five Dan Brown novels, this is my least favorite.

Facebook, Blog Update and Dean Koonz Reading

Facebook, Blog Update and Dean Koonz Reading

Hi to all out there in Internetland reading my posts. I haven’t done a blog post in months. I was introduced to Facebook and I got out of the habit of putting my thoughts to the keyboard. I also found on Facebook that I created controversy when I wrote about a political issue or a hot topic. “What are you feeling today?” Facebook would ask. I like to say what is on my mind, discussions on politics, the economy, the state of our Country, the current administration to name a few things that I have been thinking of. I wanted to get back to blog writing so I can express my thoughts, maybe write a record for Brendan when he gets older, and maybe improve on my writing skills. Also, Facebook gives you a snapshot of your thoughts, and I don’t get to write more than the 120 characters. I want to get back to telling stories about books, movies and trips we have gone on. I also want to update pictures, family travels, and things I have accomplished in the backyard. So lets try this blog thing again. Ok Brendan, this is for you and whoever else is reading my scribbles.

I also wanted to add that these Dean Koonz books I have read this past year or two. I am not sure if I have updated the blog on most of these with book reviews, but I recommend them all. I really enjoy the Odd Thomas series. I would recommend them immensely. I think the last Odd book I read was In Odd We Trust. I did a book reviewon Your Heart Belongs to Me back in September I believe. I am going to read Breathless after I finish Merle’s Door. I’ll get back into doing book reviews and I won’t do any more 2009 reviews. I would like a list of what I read in 2009, but that information has escaped me. I have included my favorites on the blog. I’ll do a Dan Brown, Lost Symbol book review also, as that was the last book I read. So don’t ask me for what I read in 2009, as I don’t remember. Ha!!!

•2005 - Velocity
•2005 - Forever Odd
•2006 - The Husband
•2006 - Brother Odd
•2007 - The Good Guy
•2007 - The Darkest Evening of the Year
•2008 - Odd Hours
•2008 - In Odd We Trust
•2008 - Your Heart Belongs to Me

I need to write a review on Avatar also since it was the last movie I saw that I enjoyed. So let me gather my thoughts, get my keyboard sharpened, and let me find some inspiration to write on here again. Sorry Facebook, I need to have a few more characters that you will allow me to put on the Internet. I’ll keep up “What I am feeling today” when I can so the pals can see what I am up to.

Glenn Beck, Common Sense

Glenn Beck, Common Sense

“If you believe this country is great, our government is out of control, if you believe it's time to put principles above parties, character above campaign promises and illogical methods to take back our great country, come with me and I ask you to read this book."

Some patriotic Americans enlighten and inspire us to reach our full potential, to believe with conviction what they believe within themselves. They understand that all actions have consequences to find commonsense solutions to the nation's problems. Mr. Beck does a good job of enlightening and stimulating the noggin. This short book is intended to be a primer for those new to politics. For those of us who have been paying attention all along, it is a refresher as to why Tea Party folks and alike are so angry at the current political situation and the book is energizing reading.

Glenn Beck piggybacks on a famous pamphlet "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine in order to inspire like-minded folks to action. This book is also part of his successful 9/12 project, which details nine principles and twelve values that would put America "back on course." Thomas Paine was an ordinary man who changed the course of history by penning Common Sense, the concise 1776 masterpiece that encouraged his fellow citizens to take control of America's future, and ultimately, her freedom.

Nearly two and a half centuries later, those very freedoms once again hang in the balance. Glenn Beck revisits Paine's powerful treatise with one purpose: to galvanize Americans to see past government's easy solutions, two-part monopoly, and illogical methods to take back our great country. I don't think anyone can be as patriotic as Mr. Beck. His book is honest, informative and enlightening. He shows how this country and government have deviated from these basic beliefs. Many of his points should be alarming to all Americans. A synopsis of the topics include: an out of control national debt, a tax code that seems designed to dole out favors to political supporters rather than raise revenue, a Congress that exempts itself from its own laws, gerrymandered districts that guarantee that there will be little competition in general elections, Eminent Domain abuse, and global warming and un-common sense.

Common Sense, his theme, worked cleverly with Thomas Paine's title 225 years ago, found in the second half of the book. The One Star review people have never read this book. They may have read the back cover and have decided they like the present coarse of action the country is on. Its a great afternoon read and it will encourage you go beyond your high school history book and learn more about this country's founding. Beck's book is a good read as a starter for many Americans to get involved in the debate on many issues from Health Care, Cap and Tax, etc. Read on my friends.

So Big