From Publishers Weekly

In this stellar, if at times formal, collection, longtime horseracing and sportswriter Nack takes readers through his career at the track, the ring and the stadium. He forgoes many of the thrills of the games themselves for the dramas of the people (and animals) who play them. A profile of a determined and nearly human Secretariat mixes easily with an account of Keith Hernandez’s loneliness, Bobby Fischer’s ambivalence toward celebrity, and Sonny Liston’s poignant awareness of the effect his race has on his reputation, and vice versa. Nack can use too blunt an instrument in his attempt at psychological portraiture, as he does in a piece about Robbie Davis, whose horse trampled fellow jockey Mike Venezia. (The accident took him “back to all those years of biting anger, self-loathing and shame that sprung from [his] abuse”). But more often he hits the mark. Nack also sets himself apart from other sports scribes with his prose style; rarely does sportswriting veer so easily into poetry. There is, it should be noted, a courtliness to his tone that can give some of the pieces a mechanical feel. And his portraits of place, particularly those on Saratoga and Yankee Stadium, feel especially soulless and perfunctory. But he more than makes up for these flaws with his keen eye; the author has an uncanny talent for finding the anecdote that illuminates greater truths about an athlete, such as heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano’s paranoid refusal to accept checks. Anyone who has tasted the drama of sports-that is, the drama of being human-will enjoy this book, finding in its profiles of the larger-than-life an abundance of small pleasures.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
–This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.


Review

“Nack’s work stands tall and true next to that of any living sportswriter…we are lucky to have this collection.” — ESPN.com 12/20/03

“Rarely does sportswriting veer so easily into poetry.” — Publishers Weekly

“Run, do not walk, to your nearest bookstore and get a copy…Don’t miss it.” — Dallas Morning News 4/18/04

“This collection of stories…goes well beyond the track.” — Sports Illustrated 12/22/03

“Whether it’s a sports profile or investigative piece, Nack writes with passion.” — The Oregonian 02/01/04

Covers personalities as diverse as Willie Shoemaker, Sonny Liston, Keith Hernandez and Bobby Fisher.” — The Plain Dealer 03/13/04

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Product Description

Praise for previous books from Drs. Foster & Smith:
“The authors guide owners through each system of the dog, allowing owners to cut through medical jargon and make more informed treatment choices.” ?The Cleveland Plain Dealer

“…Presented in a basic, well-illustrated, reader-friendly fashion that avoids confusion and answers most of your questions relating to your dog’s welfare.” ?The Seattle Times

From puppy to senior citizen, Drs. Foster and Smith explain the care and training your dog needs and help you tackle the health and behavior problems you’re likely to encounter. Right From the Start begins with the time-consuming problems of puppyhood, then discusses the trials of adolescence, the principles of keeping an adult dog healthy and happy and takes you all the way through to when it may be time to say good-bye to a treasured friend. It’s the complete owner’s manual for the life of your dog.
A Howell Dog Book of Distinction

About the Author

Race Foster and Marty Smith are practicing veterinarians in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, with several decades of experience. They operate a call-in helpline for pet owners, and are the authors of What’s the Diagnosis?, Just What the Doctor Ordered and The Complete Cat Health Manual. They are also co-owners of one of America’s largest pet supply mail order catalog companies, Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc.

Product Description

FROM AMERICA’S MOST CELEBRATED DOG-EXPERT
TEAM COMES THIS COMPREHENSIVE, MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE
TO RAISING A HAPPY, HEALTHY PUPPY.

The warm belly, the swinging tail, the wet nose, the big brown eyes — these are just some of the things that make living with a puppy pure bliss. But sometimes it’s too easy to forget that a puppy is more than just an adorable plaything: He is like a four-legged child, in need of love, guidance and the best care there is. The first year of a dog’s life is roughly equivalent to the first eighteen years of a child’s life. It’s a crucial time in the development of his behavior, personality and lifetime habits, so it’s important to get it right!

Enter The Good Life. In their trademark good-humored, engaging style, Mordecai Siegal and Matthew Margolis take new dog owners by the hand and explain what they should be doing to raise their dogs throughout the first year and beyond. To help along new “parents,” the book breaks down the first year into clear time frames with essential information for each developmental stage of a young dog’s life. From feeding to housebreaking to behavior problem solving, The Good Life is filled with invaluable tips on every aspect of caring for a puppy. Areas covered include:

Crate-training

Acclimating your puppy to your
household and to strangers

Comprehensive and easy to follow, The Good Life is the Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care for dogs — filled with everything owners need to help their puppy become a happy, healthy member of the family.

About the Author
Mordecai Siegal is president emeritus of the Dog Writers Association of America and has written thirty-one books about dogs, cats and horses. He is frequently called upon as a keynote or after-dinner speaker as well as a master of ceremonies at benefits and pet-related events. He has appeared on numerous TV talk shows and has had his own radio talk show in New York. He has written monthly pet columns for House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping and Woman’s World. The recipient of numerous awards for his writing, he lives in New York City.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Description

FROM AMERICA’S MOST CELEBRATED DOG-EXPERT
TEAM COMES THIS COMPREHENSIVE, MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE
TO RAISING A HAPPY, HEALTHY PUPPY.

The warm belly, the swinging tail, the wet nose, the big brown eyes — these are just some of the things that make living with a puppy pure bliss. But sometimes it’s too easy to forget that a puppy is more than just an adorable plaything: He is like a four-legged child, in need of love, guidance and the best care there is. The first year of a dog’s life is roughly equivalent to the first eighteen years of a child’s life. It’s a crucial time in the development of his behavior, personality and lifetime habits, so it’s important to get it right!

Enter The Good Life. In their trademark good-humored, engaging style, Mordecai Siegal and Matthew Margolis take new dog owners by the hand and explain what they should be doing to raise their dogs throughout the first year and beyond. To help along new “parents,” the book breaks down the first year into clear time frames with essential information for each developmental stage of a young dog’s life. From feeding to housebreaking to behavior problem solving, The Good Life is filled with invaluable tips on every aspect of caring for a puppy. Areas covered include:

Crate-training

Acclimating your puppy to your
household and to strangers

Comprehensive and easy to follow, The Good Life is the Dr. Spock’s Baby and Child Care for dogs — filled with everything owners need to help their puppy become a happy, healthy member of the family.

About the Author
Mordecai Siegal is president emeritus of the Dog Writers Association of America and has written thirty-one books about dogs, cats and horses. He is frequently called upon as a keynote or after-dinner speaker as well as a master of ceremonies at benefits and pet-related events. He has appeared on numerous TV talk shows and has had his own radio talk show in New York. He has written monthly pet columns for House Beautiful, Good Housekeeping and Woman’s World. The recipient of numerous awards for his writing, he lives in New York City.

See all Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Millan, television’s “Dog Whisperer,” says that “Even the most unobservant person can see an owner’s own issues totally mirrored in his or her dogs’ problems,” and in this follow-up to last year’s bestselling Cesar’s Way, he makes that connection more explicit and exploitable. Every dog wants a “clearly defined social framework, with a fair, consistent pack leader”; chances are good, then, that behind every unruly dog is an inconsistent human. To become the master your dog needs, one must cultivate “calm-assertive energy,” a mind-set that puts both dogs and people at ease; besides thorough explanation, Millan offers a number of suggestions for developing this powerful form of non-verbal communication, including visualization techniques and inner dialogue (”focus your mind, and then tell yourself, ‘This is my sofa.’ “). Answering readers’ requests for more straightforward advice, the book also offers a rundown of training tools-collars, leashes, etc.-and step-by-step instructions for properly handling common occurrences such as meeting a new dog, walking, feeding and visiting the vet. In numerous case studies, Millan’s love for his work is obvious and infectious; whether you need a book for your dog or yourself, Millan’s simple techniques, compassionate tone and intimate knowledge of dog psychology (and the human effect on it) makes this a worthy read.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
–This text refers to the

Hardcover
edition.


Product Description

The New York Times bestseller!

Be the Pack Leader is Cesar Millan’s guide for taking your relationship with your dog to a higher level. By developing the skills necessary to become the calm-assertive owner your dog needs in order for him to live a balanced, fulfilled life, you’ll improve your dog’s behavior and your own life as well.

Be the Pack Leader is filled with practical tips and techniques, including:

• How to use calm-assertive energy in relating to your dog—and to others around you
• The truth about behavioral tools, from leashes and harnesses to clickers and e-collars
• How to satisfy the needs of your dog’s breed
• Success stories from Cesar’s clients, viewers, and fans—including the Grogan family of Marley & Me fame
• A quick reference guide of specific, step-by-step procedures to tackling some of the most common dog behavior problems


“[Cesar] arrives amid chaos and leaves behind peace.”
—Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker

“[Millan is] serene and mesmerizing. . . . He deserves a cape and a mask.”
—New York Times

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Product Description

The first title in the Terra-Nova series to focus on training dogs of all ages, Training Your Dog for Life sets forth step-by- step puppy, basic, and advanced training techniques. It also provides management techniques for a host of problem behaviors and describes numerous activities that the well-trained dog and his owner can enjoy together.