Articles tagged "Nonfiction"

We're closing out National Dog Week with a look at Lisa Rogak's THE DOGS OF WAR.

Few civilians realize we have dogs serving in combat, let alone that they can parachute from up to 30,000 feet.

In this book, Lisa Rogak shows the amazing range of jobs that military working dogs perform, such as explosives detection, patrol, and hunt for enemy combatants. Dogs have had a place in the military for decades, but their importance and our treatment of them has evolved over time. Rogak examines the training, equipment, and what it’s like to serve with them on the front lines.

THE DOGS OF WAR also tells heart-warming stories of the deep connections that grow between dogs and their handlers. Rogak recounts adventures both heroic and tragic of the courage and devotion that both human and canine soldiers have shown together on the battlefield.

Publishers Weekly recently featured a few books about heroic war dogs including THE DOGS OF WAR. They say,

"Tales of dogs participating in war are some of the few uplifting stories to come out of Iraq and Afghanistan. St. Martin's editor Peter Joseph says such titles 'are positive reminders that there are things more important than politics.' Lisa Rogak's THE DOGS OF WAR: The Courage, Love, and Loyalty of Military Working Dogs (Oct.) covers the range of jobs performed by military dogs, some of whom can parachute from as high as 30,000 feet."

This is an excellent read for dog-lovers and military aficionados, alike.

THE BOY IN THE MOON is an extraordinary true story that we felt we needed to bring to your attention.

Author Ian Brown’s son Walker is one of only about 300 people worldwide diagnosed with cardiofaciocutaneous (CFC) syndrome—an extremely rare genetic mutation that results in unusual facial appearance, the inability to speak, and a compulsion to hit himself constantly. At age thirteen, he is mentally and developmentally between one and three years old and will need constant care for the rest of his life.

Brown travels the globe, meeting with genetic scientists and neurologists as well as parents, to solve the questions Walker’s doctors can’t answer. In his journey, he offers an insightful critique of society’s assumptions about the disabled, and he discovers a connected community of families living with this illness. As Brown gradually lets go of his self-blame and hope for a cure, he learns to accept the Walker he loves, just as he is.

Kirkus Reviews calls it, "A father’s candid, heart-wrenching account of raising, loving and trying to connect with and gain insight into his severely disabled son. [...] Much more than a moving journal of life with a disabled child; it is about Brown’s quest to understand his son and his son’s condition."

The New York Times Book Review did a wonderful piece about Brown, Walker, and their book; we recommend you take a look at it. Read "What Disabled Children Teach Us" here.