Jon Katz's Books

The Second-Chance Dog

A Love Story

By: Jon Katz

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From New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz comes a wise, uplifting, and poignant memoir of finding love against all odds, and the power of second chances for both people and dogs. “I had no idea that Frieda would enter my life and alter it in the most profound way, but that’s one of the beautiful things about animals. They change you, and you almost never see it coming.” In 2007, a few years after purchasing Bedlam Farm in upstate New York, Jon Katz met Maria Wulf, a quiet, sensitive artist hoping to rekindle her creative spark. Jon, like her, was introspective yet restless, a writer struggling to find his purpose. He felt a connection with her immediately, but a formidable obstacle stood in the way: Maria’s dog, Frieda. A rottweiler-shepherd mix who had been abandoned by her previous owner in the Adirondacks, where she lived in the wild for several years, Frieda was ferociously protective and barely tamed. She roared and charged at almost anyone who came near. But to Maria, Frieda was sweet and loyal, her beloved guard dog and devoted friend. And so Jon quickly realized that to win over Maria, he’d have to gain Frieda’s affection as well. While he and Maria grew closer, Jon was having a tougher time charming Frieda to his side. Even after many days spent on Bedlam Farm, Frieda still lunged at the other animals, ran off into the woods, and would not let Jon come near her, even to hook on her leash. Yet armed with a singular determination, unlimited patience, and five hundred dollars’ worth of beef jerky, Jon refused to give up on Frieda—or on his chance with Maria. Written with stunning emotional clarity and full of warm yet practical wisdom, The Second-Chance Dog is a testament to how animals can make us better people, and how it’s never too late to find love. Praise for The Second-Chance Dog “No one speaks the language of a dog like best-selling author Jon Katz. His latest heartwarming memoir about finding love after struggling through a broken relationship . . . gives testament to how dogs can make us better human beings.”—The Free Lance–Star “[An] intimate story of falling in love with a woman and her extremely protective pet dog . . . Bittersweet in its telling, Katz reminds readers of the importance of human and animal connections.”—Kirkus Reviews “In this heartwarming story of love and redemption . . . dogs and humans alike get second chances at life, love, and growth. . . . This moving work is recommended for readers who want a true-life love story, for dog lovers seeking a book with a happy ending (the dog doesn’t die!), for seniors who think that receiving a Medicare card means that love is out of the question, and for dog trainers who want to learn more about Katz’s philosophy of dog training.”—Library Journal “The story [Katz] tells gives hope that no animal is beyond help, as long as enough love and patience are thrown in.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune

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290

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0345531183

ISBN 13

9780345531186

A Home for Rose

How My Life Turned Upside Down for the Love of a Dog

By: Jon Katz

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A Home for Rose

How My Life Turned Upside Down for the Love of a Dog

By: Jon Katz

I believed Rose had a secret plan for the farm, a detailed map in her head that showed exactly where all her ewes and lambs and humans ought to be. Though I was nominally the herder, I wasn't privy to the map. My job was mostly to latch and unlatch the gates, the rest was up to her' Jon Katz leaves the suburbs for a remote farm in order to give Border Collie puppy Rose - along with our friend Devon from A Dog Year - a true taste of herding life. Rose's adventures start early, going head to head with a head-butting ram the day the sheep arrive. She soon establishes a routine for the sheep, chickens and donkeys - and Jon - that makes everything run like clockwork. However, any notion Jon has of the romance of a rural idyll is shattered when the snow comes and temperatures of minus twenty set in. With two fingers damaged to frostbite and a sheep lost, the prospect of all-night lambing seems terrifying. But with Rose by his side Jon finds there is little that together they can't do, and as spring comes and the frost thaws he finds himself battered, drained yet exhilarated. This is his delightfully funny, touching and insightful depiction of the realities of country life, and of how one man turned his life upside down for the love of a dog. Please note, A Home for Rose is the UK title for the book published in the US as The Dogs of Bedlam Farm.

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284

Publisher

Random House

Published Date

ISBN 10

1407026860

ISBN 13

9781407026862

Dancing Dogs

Stories

By: Jon Katz

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Dancing Dogs

Stories

By: Jon Katz

No one brings to life the remarkable bond between humans and their dogs like New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz. He has warmed our spirits with enchanting tales and keen observations of his animal menagerie—the dogs, sheep, chickens, and other residents of Bedlam Farm. Now, Katz is back with what he does best in his first collection of short stories, Dancing Dogs. With his signature insight and gift for storytelling, Katz shares sixteen stories about one of life’s most unique relationships: In the title story, a housekeeper loses her job, but discovers her four-legged “children” have some toe-tapping talents that just may get the whole family back on its feet. In “Puppy Commando,” a shy grade-school outcast forges an instant connection with a beagle puppy she meets at a shelter—and risks everything to keep him. “Gracie’s Last Walk” features a woman who must find a way to say goodbye to her beloved golden retriever—but ends up saying hello to someone unexpected. “The Dog Who Kept Men Away” shows that not all humans pass the “sniff” test when it comes to canines, who possess an excellent judge of character. And in “Guardian Angel,” a widower going through a painful transition finds the greatest comfort in the unlikeliest of sources—a funny-looking pug named Gus. Whether sitting, staying, and rolling over, in the barnyard, shelters, or home, sweet, home, the creatures in Dancing Dogs are genuinely inspiring and utterly memorable. Praise for Dancing Dogs “Funny, keenly observed short stories illuminating the bond between man and his best friend.”—People “Jon Katz writes with passion and humor about the connections between animals and humans. . . . Animal lovers are sure to want to add this book to their collection.”—Examiner.com “Katz’s stories, sometimes warm and sometimes funny, are smooth, light reads that are easy to pick up and enjoy and will appeal to dog lovers everywhere.”—Booklist “Insightful, moving . . . a tissue-box-worthy collection of animal tales.”—Kirkus Reviews “[A] heartwarming book.”—The Dallas Morning News

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204

Publisher

Ballantine Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0345536169

ISBN 13

9780345536167

A Good Dog

The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life

By: Jon Katz

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A Good Dog

The Story of Orson, Who Changed My Life

By: Jon Katz

“People who love dogs often talk about a ‘lifetime’ dog. I’d heard the phrase a dozen times before I came to recognize its significance. Lifetime dogs are dogs we love in especially powerful, sometimes inexplicable ways.”–Jon Katz In this gripping and deeply touching book, bestselling author Jon Katz tells the story of his lifetime dog, Orson: a beautiful border collie–intense, smart, crazy, and unforgettable. From the moment Katz and Orson meet, when the dog springs from his traveling crate at Newark airport and panics the baggage claim area, their relationship is deep, stormy, and loving. At two years old, Katz’s new companion is a great herder of school buses, a scholar of refrigerators, but a dud at herding sheep. Everything Katz attempts– obedience training, herding instruction, a new name, acupuncture, herb and alternative therapies–helps a little but not enough, and not for long. “Like all border collies and many dogs,” Katz writes, “he needed work. I didn’t realize for some time I was the work Orson would find.” While Katz is trying to help his dog, Orson is helping him, shepherding him toward a new life on a two-hundred-year-old hillside farm in upstate New York. There, aided by good neighbors and a tolerant wife, hip-deep in sheep, chickens, donkeys, and more dogs, the man and his canine companion explore meadows, woods, and even stars, wade through snow, bask by a roaring wood stove, and struggle to keep faith with each other. There, with deep love, each embraces his unfolding destiny. A Good Dog is a book to savor. Just as Orson was the author’s lifetime dog, his story is a lifetime treasure–poignant, timeless, and powerful.

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258

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0812971493

ISBN 13

9780812971491

Geeks

How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho

By: Jon Katz

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Geeks

How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho

By: Jon Katz

“A story of triumph, friendship, love, and above all, about being human and reaching for dreams in a hard-wired world.”—Seattle Times “Too often, writing about the online world lacks emotional punch, but Katz’s obvious love for his ‘lost boys’ gives his narrative a rich taste.”—The New York Times Book Review Jesse and Eric were geeks: suspicious of authority figures, proud of their status as outsiders, fervent in their belief in the positive power of technology. High school had been an unbearable experience and their small-town Idaho families had been torn apart by hard times. On the fringe of society, they had almost no social lives and little to look forward to. They spent every spare cent on their computers and every spare moment online. Nobody ever spoke of them, much less for them. But then they met Jon Katz, a roving journalist who suggested that, in the age of geek impresario Bill Gates, Jesse and Eric had marketable skills that could get them out of Idaho and pave the way to a better life. So they bravely set out to conquer Chicago—geek style. Told with Katz’s trademark charm and sparkle, Geeks is a humorous, moving tale of triumph over adversity and self-acceptance that delivers two irresistible heroes for the digital age and reveals the very human face of technology. Praise for Geeks “Ultimately, Geeks is not a story about the Internet or computers or techies. It is a story about personal bonds, optimism, access to opportunity, and the courage to dream.”—Salon “An uplifting and hugely compassionate book.”—Philadelphia Inquirer “A story of friendship, optimism, social despair, and an updated version of that American icon, the tinkerer.”—USA Today

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258

Publisher

Crown

Published Date

ISBN 10

0767906993

ISBN 13

9780767906999

Dog Days

Dispatches from Bedlam Farm

By: Jon Katz

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Dog Days

Dispatches from Bedlam Farm

By: Jon Katz

In Dog Days, Jon Katz, the squire of Bedlam Farm, allows us to live our dreams of leaving the city for the country, and shares the unpredictable adventure of farm life. The border collies, the sheep, the chickens, the cat, the ram, and one surprisingly sociable steer named Elvis all contribute to the hum (and occasional roar) of Bedlam. On timeless summer days and in punishing winter storms, Katz continues his meditation on what animals can selflessly teach us–and what we in turn owe to them. With good neighbors, a beautiful landscape, and tales of true love thrown in, Dog Days gives us not only marvelous animal stories but a rich portrait of the harmonious world that is Bedlam Farm. Praise for Dog Days: “Anyone who has ever loved an animal, who owns a farm or even dreams of it, will read Dog Days with appreciation and a cathartic lump in his or her throat.” –The Washington Post “Katz proves himself a Thoreau for modern times as he ponders the relationships between man and animals, humanity and nature, and the particularly smelly qualities of manure.” –Fort Worth Star-Telegram “Katz constructs the perfect blend between self-revelation and his subtle brand of humor.” –The Star-Ledger “City-dweller-turned-farmer Katz . . . returns with further adventures from his animal-filled upstate New York sheep farm. Charming.” –People “The perfect summer book . . . You will not be disappointed.” –The Philadelphia Inquirer “A new twist on the American dream.” –The Christian Science Monitor “Thoroughly enchanting.” –The Dallas Morning News

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306

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0812974352

ISBN 13

9780812974355

Going Home

Finding Peace When Pets Die

By: Jon Katz

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Going Home

Finding Peace When Pets Die

By: Jon Katz

In this invaluable guide and touchstone, New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz addresses the difficult but necessary topic of saying goodbye to a beloved pet. Drawing on personal experiences, stories from fellow pet owners, and philosophical reflections, Katz provides support for those in mourning. By allowing ourselves to grieve honestly and openly, he posits, we can in time celebrate the dogs, cats, and other creatures that have so enriched us. Katz compels us to consider if we gave our pets good lives, if we were their advocates in times of need, and if we used our best judgments in the end. In dealing with these issues, we can alleviate guilt, let go, and help others who are undergoing similar passages. By honoring the animals that have graced our lives, we reveal their truly timeless gifts: unwavering companionship and undying love. With a brand-new Foreword by the author

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209

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0345502701

ISBN 13

9780345502704

Katz on Dogs

A Commonsense Guide to Training and Living with Dogs

By: Jon Katz

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Katz on Dogs

A Commonsense Guide to Training and Living with Dogs

By: Jon Katz

In a nation where our love of dogs keeps growing and dog ownership has reached an all-time high, confusion about dogs and their behavioral problems is skyrocketing. Many dogs are out of control, untrained, chewing up furniture, taking medication for anxiety, and biting millions of people a year. Now, in this groundbreaking new guide, Jon Katz, a leading authority on the human-canine bond, offers a powerful and practical philosophy for living with a dog, from the moment we decide to get one to the sad day when one dies. Conventional training methods often fail dog owners, but Katz argues that we know our dogs better than anyone else possibly could, and therefore we are well suited to train them. It is imperative, he says, that we think rationally and responsibly about how we choose, train, and live with the dogs we love, and the more we learn about ourselves, the better we can recognize their wonderful animal natures. Misinterpreting dogs is a profound obstacle to understanding them. Katz believes that both people and dogs are unique–a chow differs from a Lab just as a city dweller differs from a farmer–and he describes how such individuality isn’t addressed by even the best and most popular training methods. Not every training theory is for everyone, notes Katz, but almost anyone can train a dog and live with him comfortably. Katz on Dogs is filled with no-nonsense advice and answers to such key questions as: • What kind of dog should I have? Is there is a specific breed or kind of dog for my personality, family, or living situation? • What is the best way to train a dog? • Can I trust my vet? • How often (and for how long) can a dog be left alone? • Is it preferable to have only one dog, or are more better? • What are the secrets to successful housebreaking? • What are my dogs thinking, if anything? • How can I walk my dog instead of having her walk me? • Is it ever okay to give away a dog you love? • When is it time to put my dog down? Katz draws from his own experience, his interactions with thousands of dog owners, vets, breeders, dog rescue workers, trainers, and behaviorists, and he has tested his approach with volunteer dog owners around the country. Their helpful and often inspiring stories illustrate how all of us can live well with our dogs. You can do it, Katz contends. You can live a loving and harmonious life with your dog.

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239

Publisher

Random House

Published Date

ISBN 10

0307415759

ISBN 13

9780307415752

The Dog Nobody Loved

By: Jon Katz

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The Dog Nobody Loved

By: Jon Katz

I had no idea that Frieda would enter my life and alter it in the most profound way, but that's one of the beautiful things about animals. They change you, and you almost never see it coming." When writer Jon Katz met Maria Wulf, a quiet, sensitive artist he felt a connection with her immediately, but a formidable obstacle stood in the way: Maria's dog, Frieda. A rottweiler-shepherd mix who had been abandoned and living in the wild for several years, Frieda was ferociously protective. She roared and charged at almost anyone who came near. But to Maria, she was her sweet, loyal and devoted friend. Jon quickly realised that to win over Maria, he'd have to make friends with Frieda too. The Dog Nobody Loved is the heart-warming story of how one man and a dog discovered it's never too late to find love. Please note, The Dog Nobody Loved is the UK title for the book published in the US as The Second-Chance Dog.

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290

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Random House

Published Date

ISBN 10

0091957443

ISBN 13

9780091957445

A Dog Year

Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me

By: Jon Katz

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A Dog Year

Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me

By: Jon Katz

“Change loves me, defines and stalks me like a laser-guided smart bomb. It comes at me in all forms, suddenly and with enormous impact, from making shifts in work to having and raising a kid to buying a cabin on a distant mountaintop. Sometimes, change comes on four legs.” In his popular and widely praised Running to the Mountain, Jon Katz wrote of the strength and support he found in the massive forms of his two yellow Labrador retrievers, Julius and Stanley. When the Labs were six and seven, a breeder who’d read his book contacted Katz to say she had a dog that was meant for him—a two-year-old border collie named Devon, well bred but high-strung and homeless. Katz already had a full canine complement, but instinct overruled reason, and soon thereafter he brought Devon home. A Dog Year: Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me is the story of how Devon and Jon—and Julius and Stanley—came to terms with each other. It shows how a man discovered a lot about himself through one dog (and then another) whose temperament seemed as different from his own as day is from night. It is a story of trust and understanding, of life and death, of continuity and change. It is by turns insightful, hilarious, and deeply moving.

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242

Publisher

Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0812966902

ISBN 13

9780812966909

Sign Off

By: Jon Katz

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Sign Off

By: Jon Katz

The producer of CBS Morning News delivers a searing novel of our times in which one man fights against the ruthless corporate spirit overtaking American business. Katz uses his inside knowledge to realistically portray life at a major TV network.

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398

Publisher

Bantam

Published Date

ISBN 10

0553071238

ISBN 13

9780553071238

Saving Simon

How a Rescue Donkey Taught Me the Meaning of Compassion

By: Jon Katz

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Saving Simon

How a Rescue Donkey Taught Me the Meaning of Compassion

By: Jon Katz

In this heartfelt, thoughtful, and inspiring memoir, New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz tells the story of his beloved rescue donkey, Simon, and the wondrous ways that animals make us wiser and kinder people. In the spring of 2011, Jon Katz received a phone call that would challenge every idea he ever had about mercy and compassion. An animal control officer had found a neglected donkey on a farm in upstate New York, and she hoped that Jon and his wife, Maria, would be willing to adopt him. Jon wasn’t planning to add another animal to his home on Bedlam Farm, certainly not a very sick donkey. But the moment he saw the wrenching sight of Simon, he felt a powerful connection. Simon touched something very deep inside of him. Jon and Maria decided to take him in. Simon’s recovery was far from easy. Weak and malnourished, he needed near constant care, but Jon was determined to help him heal. As Simon’s health improved, Jon would feed him by hand, read to him, take him on walks, even confide in him like an old and trusted friend. Then, miraculously, as if in reciprocation, Simon began to reveal to Jon the true meaning of compassion, the ways in which it can transform our lives and inspire us to take great risks. This radically different perspective on kindness and empathy led Jon to a troubled border collie from Ireland in need of a home, a blind pony who had lived outside in a pasture for fifteen years, and a new farm for him and Maria. In the great tradition of heroes—from Don Quixote to Shrek—who faced the world in the company of their donkeys, Jon came to understand compassion and mercy in a new light, learning to open up “not just to Simon, not just to animals, but to the human experience. To love, to risk, to friendship.” With grace, warmth, and keen emotional insight, Saving Simon plumbs the depths of the bonds we form with our animals, and the rewards of “living a more compassionate, considered, and meaningful life.” Praise for Saving Simon “Heartwarming . . . a touching tale.”—USA Today “Highly recommended . . . an enjoyable and thoughtful work.”—Library Journal (starred review) “[Saving Simon] handles the emotional highs and lows of living with animals with empathy and thoughtfulness, forcing readers to re-examine their own meanings of compassion and mercy.”—Kirkus Reviews “The message of this true story will linger with the reader long after the book has been placed on the shelf.”—Bookreporter

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225

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0345531205

ISBN 13

9780345531209

The New Work of Dogs

Tending to Life, Love, and Family

By: Jon Katz

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The New Work of Dogs

Tending to Life, Love, and Family

By: Jon Katz

In an increasingly fragmented and disconnected society, dogs are often treated not as pets, but as family members and human surrogates. The New Work of Dogs profiles a dozen such relationships in a New Jersey town, like the story of Harry, a Welsh corgi who provides sustaining emotional strength for a woman battling terminal breast cancer; Cherokee, companion of a man who has few friends and doesn’t know how to talk to his family; the Divorced Dogs Club, whose funny, acerbic, and sometimes angry women turn to their dogs to help them rebuild their lives; and Betty Jean, the frantic founder of a tiny rescue group that has saved five hundred dogs from abuse or abandonment in recent years. Drawn from hundreds of interviews and conversations with dog lovers and canine professionals, The New Work of Dogs combines compelling personal narratives with a penetrating look at human/animal attachment, and it presents a vivid portrait of a community—and, by extension, an entire nation—that is turning to its pets for emotional support and stability in a changing and uncertain world.

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267

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0375760555

ISBN 13

9780375760556

Death by Station Wagon

A Suburban Detective Mystery

By: Jon Katz

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Death by Station Wagon

A Suburban Detective Mystery

By: Jon Katz

Kit Deleeuw is hired by a group of local teenagers to prove that the two teens found dead in a station wagon on a deserted estate were not the result of a murder suicide but the victims of a deranged killer.

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360

Publisher

Doubleday Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0385421125

ISBN 13

9780385421126

The Fathers' Club

By: Jon Katz

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The Fathers' Club

By: Jon Katz

For men in the 90s, the world is full of pressure, difficult choices, and the struggle to build and maintain friendships. For the men in Jon Katz's fourth Suburban Detective mystery, it is also a world fraught with betrayal, greed, and massive fraud--not to mention murder. As "The Fathers' Club opens, Kit Deleeuw is feeling particularly embattled in his dual roles as detective and family man: His son is in trouble at school, his wife is away much of the time, and he is feeling out of place in the affluent suburb of Rochambeau. Having seen too much of the dark side of suburban life, he worries about becoming one of those men with too many acquaintances and too few friends. Into the midst of this slough of despond walks Linda Lewis, who wants Kit to investigate her ex-husband Dale. Normally a dutiful father, Dale has fallen behind in his child support payments, and hasn't called, visited the kids, or responded to Linda's calls in long enough to have her worried. When the deadbeat Dad turns up dead in his office, Kit decides to infiltrate the men's group Dale belonged to, hoping to find some clue. Dismissive of such groups as gatherings of narcissistic drumbeaters, he is surprised to find the men not only warm and welcoming, but full of good advice. In the end, Kit finds himself not only involved with Russian mobsters, federal investigators, and the victim's infidelity, but also a lot wiser about the need men have to talk to one another, about his relationship with his son, and about his place in the child-crazed town of Rochambeau.

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292

Publisher

Crimeline

Published Date

ISBN 10

0553575368

ISBN 13

9780553575361

The Dog who Loved

Lenore, the Puppy who Rescued Me

By: Jon Katz

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The Dog who Loved

Lenore, the Puppy who Rescued Me

By: Jon Katz

Izzy was an abandoned three-year-old Border collie that Jon Katz, against his better judgement, took in. Lenore was the tiny Labrador puppy he carefully picked out. Together, both dogs bring a new joy and serenity to Jon s life, and to all those they meet. As Jon successfully teaches Izzy to calm down and embrace the rhythm of life on Bedlam Farm, the Border collie demonstrates an uncanny sensitivity to, and tenderness towards, humans who are troubled, ailing or ill. Jon and Izzy begin volunteer hospice work, and Izzy s unusual gift leads Jon off the farm, into new, extraordinary friendships, and shows him what dogs can do for people at our neediest and most intimate times. But the work isn t easy, and Jon is reminded that at times he is needy himself. Enter Lenore, a glossy jet-black Labrador retriever puppy, soon named by Jon as the Hound of Love . Her seemingly boundless capacity for joy reminds Katz why he d come to the farm in the first place and why he d devoted so much of his life to working with dogs. Izzy and Lenore is a moving and inspiring story of love, compassion, and the incredibly rich and complex relationships between dogs and humans.

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198

Publisher

Ebury Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0091932270

ISBN 13

9780091932275

Lenore, The Hungriest Dog in the World

By: Jon Katz

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Lenore, The Hungriest Dog in the World

By: Jon Katz

Life for Jon and the animals of Bedlam Farm is busier than ever, but from the moment Jon catches sight of Lenore, a very cute little Labrador puppy, he cannot resist. And it's not long before she has a home on the farm too! She happily eats everything in sight - eggs, socks, and even chicken droppings! - and tries her hardest to make friends, but will Lenore's mischievous charm win everybody over? Read all about Lenore as she settles into her new home in this wonderful real-life story.

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164

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Random House

Published Date

ISBN 10

1446480585

ISBN 13

9781446480588

Saving Izzy

The Abandoned Dog Who Stole My Heart

By: Jon Katz

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Saving Izzy

The Abandoned Dog Who Stole My Heart

By: Jon Katz

When Jon Katz hears about Izzy, a three-year-old Border collie kept alone in a field on an abandoned farm, his heart speaks louder than his head and he agrees to take him in. Once again Jon finds himself challenged by a difficult dog. Having found his human, Izzy wants to go with Jon wherever he may be, and jumps fences and chews through locks to do so. Jon has been through this before with his dog Orson, and isn't sure he can cope with the responsibility and potential heartache again. But Jon's motley collection of animals - from Jesus the baby donkey to Elvis the surprisingly sociable steer, as well of course as farm manager and Border collie Rose - form an ideal refuge for Izzy. And as Jon and Izzy decide they are perfect companions, Jon realises just how much life on the farm has taught him about patience, perseverance and love. Please note, Saving Izzy is the UK title for the book published in the US as Dog Days.

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286

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Random House

Published Date

ISBN 10

1407030736

ISBN 13

9781407030739

Katz on Dogs

A Commonsense Guide to Training and Living with Dogs

By: Jon Katz

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Katz on Dogs

A Commonsense Guide to Training and Living with Dogs

By: Jon Katz

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272

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0812974344

ISBN 13

9780812974348

Soul of a Dog

Reflections on the Spirits of the Animals of Bedlam Farm

By: Jon Katz

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Soul of a Dog

Reflections on the Spirits of the Animals of Bedlam Farm

By: Jon Katz

Do animals have souls? Some of our greatest thinkers—Aristotle, Plato, Thomas Aquinas—and countless animal lovers have been obsessed with this question for thousands of years. Now New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz looks for an answer. With his signature wisdom, humor, and clarity, Katz relates the stories of the animals he lives with on Bedlam Farm and finds remarkable kinships at every turn. Whether it is beloved sheepdog Rose’s brilliant and methodical herding ability, Mother the cat’s keen mousing instincts, or Izzy’s canine compassion toward hospice patients, Katz is mesmerized to see in them individual personas and sparks of self-awareness. Soul of a Dog will resonate with anyone who loves dogs, cats, or other animals—and who wonders about the spirits that animate them and the deepening hold they have on our lives.

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Page Count

210

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0812977734

ISBN 13

9780812977738

Rose in a Storm

A Novel

By: Jon Katz

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Rose in a Storm

A Novel

By: Jon Katz

Rose is determined and focused, keeping the sheep out of danger and protecting the other creatures on the farm she calls home. But of all those she’s looked after since coming to the farm as a puppy, it is Sam, the farmer, whom she watches most carefully. Awoken one cold midwinter night during lambing season, Rose and Sam struggle into the snowy dark to do their work. The ever observant Rose has seen a change in her master of late, ever since Sam’s wife disappeared one day. She senses something else in the air as well: A storm is coming, but not like any of the ones she’s seen over the years. And when an epic blizzard hits the region, it will take all of Rose’s resolve, resourcefulness, and courage to help Sam save the farm and the creatures who live there.

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242

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0345502663

ISBN 13

9780345502667

LISTENING TO DOGS

How to Be Your Own Training Guru

By: Jon Katz

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LISTENING TO DOGS

How to Be Your Own Training Guru

By: Jon Katz

Jon Katz, the New York Times bestselling author of The Dogs of Bedlam Farm, takes a bracing look at the booming industry of dog training, which he dubs "a catastrophe in America." Listening to Dogs is not a training book; it is an empowerment book. In it, Katz asks dog owners to stop before reaching for the newest training manual or watching the latest TV show, and to invest that time designing their own personal training programs for their and their dog's individual needs. Why pay for a dog training guru when you can be your own for free?

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103

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Roadswell Editions

Published Date

ISBN 10

1938263057

ISBN 13

9781938263057

Talking to Animals

How You Can Understand Animals and They Can Understand You

By: Jon Katz

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Talking to Animals

How You Can Understand Animals and They Can Understand You

By: Jon Katz

New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz—“a Thoreau for modern times” (San Antonio Express-News)—offers us a deeper understanding of the inner lives of animals and teaches us how we can more effectively communicate with them, made real by his own remarkable experiences with a wide array of creatures great and small. In Talking to Animals, journalist Jon Katz—who left his Manhattan life behind two decades ago for life on a farm where he is surrounded by dogs, cats, sheep, horses, cows, goats, and chickens—marshals his experience to offer us a deeper insight into animals and the tools needed for effectively communicating with them. Devoting each chapter to a specific animal from his life, Katz tells funny and illuminating stories about his profound experiences with them, showing us how healthy engagement with animals falls into five key areas: Food, Movement, Visualization, Language, and Instincts. Along the way, we meet Simon the donkey who arrives at Katz’s farm near death and now serves as his Tai Chi partner. We meet Red the dog who started out antisocial and untrained and is now a therapy dog working with veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. And we meet Winston, the dignified and brave rooster who was injured defending his hens from a hawk and who has better interpersonal skills than most humans. Thoughtful and intelligent, lively and powerful, this book will completely change the way you think about and interact with animals. Katz’s “honest, straightforward, and sometimes searing prose will speak to those who love animals, and might well convert some who do not” (Booklist).

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212

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Simon and Schuster

Published Date

ISBN 10

1476795509

ISBN 13

9781476795508

The Story of Rose (Enhanced Edition)

A Man and His Dog

By: Jon Katz

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The Story of Rose (Enhanced Edition)

A Man and His Dog

By: Jon Katz

This enhanced eBook edition—containing more than sixty photographs and eight videos (including some exclusive, never-before-seen footage)—gives a vivid and up-close view of the lovable dogs, chickens, donkeys, and sheep of Bedlam Farm.* From the acclaimed author of A Good Dog, Dog Days, and Going Home comes this eBook original—a poignant memoir that celebrates Jon Katz’s beloved border collie, Rose, and their transformative years together. “I like to say you get the dog you need,” Jon Katz writes, “and I don’t think any human ever needed a dog more than I needed Rose in the fall of 2003.” That year, Katz embarked on a quixotic quest, moving from the suburbs of New Jersey to a sprawling farm in upstate New York to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. And by his side was Rose, his unswervingly loyal and unflappable new dog. Whether herding sheep on the rolling hillsides, rounding up the neighbors’ stray cows, or rescuing lambs on a freezing winter night, Rose had a nimble mind and a great love for work. Never wanting to be coddled, she watched over Bedlam Farm with singular focus and efficiency, protecting Katz and his menagerie from wild coyotes and menacing storms. Yet Rose saved Katz in more ways than he ever imagined. As he struggled to manage the farm’s daily dramas—and continued to seek his true sense of purpose—Rose connected him to his deeper humanity and a more authentic life. With warmth, insight, and emotional honesty, Jon Katz has written a joyful remembrance of a one-of-a-kind dog. The Story of Rose reaffirms the profound bond people share with their pets, and the ways that animals indelibly shape our lives. “Jon Katz understands dogs as few others do, intuitively and unburdened by sentimentality. . . . With wisdom and grace, he unlocks the canine soul and the complicated wonders that lie within and offers powerful insights.”—John Grogan, author of Marley & Me Includes moving excerpts from Going Home, and from Jon Katz’s upcoming short-story collection, Dancing Dogs. *Video may not play on all readers. Please check your user manual for details.

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185

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Ballantine Group

Published Date

ISBN 10

0345542665

ISBN 13

9780345542663

Izzy & Lenore

Two Dogs, an Unexpected Journey, and Me

By: Jon Katz

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Izzy & Lenore

Two Dogs, an Unexpected Journey, and Me

By: Jon Katz

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In this wonderful book, Jon Katz, the owner of Bedlam Farm, learns once again about the unexpected places animals can take us. As trained hospice volunteers visiting homes and nursing facilities in upstate New York, Katz and his affectionate and intuitive border collie Izzy bring comfort and canine companionship to people who most need it. An eighty-year-old Alzheimer’s patient smiles for the first time in months when she feels Izzy’s soft fur. A retired logger joyfully remembers his own beloved dog. As Izzy bonds with patients and Katz focuses on their families, the author begins to come to terms with his own life, discovering dark realities he has never confronted. Meanwhile, Lenore, a spirited, bright-eyed black Labrador puppy, arrives at Bedlam Farm. Her genial personality and boundless capacity for affection steer Katz out of the shadows, rekindle his love of working with dogs, and restore his connection to the farm and the animals and people around him.

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242

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0812977742

ISBN 13

9780812977745

The Dogs of Bedlam Farm

An Adventure with Sixteen Sheep, Three Dogs, Two Donkeys, and Me

By: Jon Katz

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The Dogs of Bedlam Farm

An Adventure with Sixteen Sheep, Three Dogs, Two Donkeys, and Me

By: Jon Katz

“Dogs are blameless, devoid of calculation, neither blessed nor cursed with human motives. They can’t really be held responsible for what they do. But we can.” –from The Dogs of Bedlam Farm When Jon Katz adopted a border collie named Orson, his whole world changed. Gone were the two yellow Labs he wrote about in A Dog Year, as was the mountaintop cabin they loved. Katz moved into an old farmhouse on forty-two acres of pasture and woods with a menagerie: a ram named Nesbitt, fifteen ewes, a lonely donkey named Carol, a baby donkey named Fanny, and three border collies. Training Orson was a demanding project. But a perceptive dog trainer and friend told Katz: “If you want to have a better dog, you will just have to be a better goddamned human.” It was a lesson Katz took to heart. He now sees his dogs as a reflection of his willingness to improve, as well as a critical reminder of his shortcomings. Katz shows us that dogs are often what we make them: They may have their own traits and personalities, but in the end, they are mirrors of our own lives–living, breathing testaments to our strengths and frustrations, our families and our pasts. The Dogs of Bedlam Farm recounts a harrowing winter Katz spent on a remote, windswept hillside in upstate New York with a few life-saving friends, ugly ghosts from the past, and more livestock than any novice should attempt to manage. Heartwarming, and full of drama, insight, and hard-won wisdom, it is the story of his several dogs forced Katz to confront his sense of humanity, and how he learned the places a dog could lead him and the ways a doge could change him.

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290

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Random House Trade Paperbacks

Published Date

ISBN 10

0812972503

ISBN 13

9780812972504

Running to the Mountain

A Midlife Adventure

By: Jon Katz

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Running to the Mountain

A Midlife Adventure

By: Jon Katz

Jon Katz, a respected journalist, author, father, and husband, was turning fifty. His writing career was taking an uneasy turn, his wife had a demanding career of her own, his daughter was preparing to leave home for college, and he had become used to a sedentary lifestyle. "I had settled down," he notes. "Any more settling and I would vanish into the mud like some fat old catfish." In Running to the Moun-tain, Katz finds a way to redefine and lend new meaning to his life. He writes, "I bought a tiny cabin at the very tip of a mountain in a remote corner of upstate New York and went there by myself. . . . I went for a lot of different reasons, but mostly, I think, to try to be a better human." Armed with the writings of Trappist monk Thomas Merton, his two faithful yellow Labradors, and the desire to confront change rather than simply react to it, Katz departs from his suburban en-clave (where, as a carpooling father, he is known as "The Prince of Rides") and heads to a new world. What he finds is a community where a rodent problem prompts anyone within earshot at the hardware store to offer advice, and where the digging of a new well draws every neighbor within miles to his front lawn. It's also a place where he can be alone in na-ture, a new discovery for someone whose "favorite night out is a trip to a bookstore, the pizza place, and the Sony megaplex." Habitually skeptical about religion, Katz finds in solitude a chance to consider the questions that have followed him into middle age: Can one find spirituality outside of a church, temple, or mosque? Is it possible to build a rational, moral framework for one's life amid the complexities of modern life? As Katz restores his old cabin, learns self-reliance in a lightning storm, and helps a friend prepare for fatherhood, he gathers newfound knowledge that will be a source of inspiration and achievement as he returns to the life he left behind. "It is absolutely impossible," Merton wrote, "for a man to live without some kind of faith." Katz adds, "It is equally impossible to change your life without some." Running to the Mountain is an unex-pected reading experience of adventure, humor, contemplation, and growth. "As notions such as solitude and spirituality have been made to seem godly, they appear to float high above our mundane and unheroic experiences. Working long hours for big companies, rushing kids around to malls and soccer games, squirreling money away for college and retirement, we want to read about conversations with God, but don't really expect to have any ourselves. . . . My hope, coming to the mountain, was that change, spirituality, and idealism aren't only way Up There, but also Down Here, in the details of daily life--family, work, friends, dogs, dreams." --From Running to the Mountain

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272

Publisher

Crown

Published Date

ISBN 10

0307822699

ISBN 13

9780307822697

The Story of Rose

A Man and His Dog

By: Jon Katz

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The Story of Rose

A Man and His Dog

By: Jon Katz

From the acclaimed author of A Good Dog, Dog Days, and Going Home comes this eBook original—a poignant memoir that celebrates Jon Katz’s beloved border collie, Rose, and their transformative years together on Bedlam Farm. “I like to say you get the dog you need,” Jon Katz writes, “and I don’t think any human ever needed a dog more than I needed Rose in the fall of 2003.” That year, Katz embarked on a quixotic quest, moving from the suburbs of New Jersey to a sprawling farm in upstate New York to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. And by his side was Rose, his unswervingly loyal and unflappable new dog. Whether herding sheep on the rolling hillsides, rounding up the neighbors’ stray cows, or rescuing lambs on a freezing winter night, Rose had a nimble mind and a great love for work. Never wanting to be coddled, she watched over Bedlam Farm with singular focus and efficiency, protecting Katz and his menagerie from wild coyotes and menacing storms. Yet Rose saved Katz in more ways than he ever imagined. As he struggled to manage the farm’s daily dramas—and continued to seek his true sense of purpose—Rose connected him to his deeper humanity and a more authentic life. With warmth, insight, and emotional honesty, Jon Katz has written a joyful remembrance of a one-of-a-kind dog. The Story of Rose reaffirms the profound bond people share with their pets, and the ways that animals indelibly shape our lives. “Jon Katz understands dogs as few others do, intuitively and unburdened by sentimentality. . . . With wisdom and grace, he unlocks the canine soul and the complicated wonders that lie within and offers powerful insights.”—John Grogan, author of Marley & Me Includes moving excerpts from Going Home, and from Jon Katz’s upcoming short-story collection, Dancing Dogs.

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218

Publisher

Ballantine Books

Published Date

ISBN 10

0345542657

ISBN 13

9780345542656

The Critical Few

Energize Your Company’s Culture by Choosing What Really Matters

By: Jon R. Katzenbach,James Thomas,Gretchen Anderson

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The Critical Few

Energize Your Company’s Culture by Choosing What Really Matters

By: Jon R. Katzenbach,James Thomas,Gretchen Anderson

In a global survey by the Katzenbach Center, 80 percent of respondents believed that their organization must evolve to succeed. But a full quarter of them reported that a change effort at their organization had resulted in no visible results. Why? The fate of any change effort depends on whether and how leaders engage their culture: the self-sustaining patterns of behaving, feeling, thinking, and believing that determine how things are done in an organization. Culture is implicit rather than explicit, emotional rather than rational--that's what makes it so hard to work with, but that's also what makes it so powerful. For the first time, this book lays out the Katzenbach Center's proven methodology for identifying your culture's four most critical elements: traits, characteristics that are at the heart of people's emotional connection to what they do; keystone behaviors, actions that would lead your company to succeed if they were replicated at a greater scale; authentic informal leaders, people who have a high degree of "emotional intuition" or social connectedness; and metrics, integrated, thoughtful measures to track progress, encourage the self-reinforcing cycle of lasting change and link to business performance. By leveraging these critical few elements, you can tap into a source of catalytic change within your organization. People will make an emotional, not just a rational, commitment to new initiatives. You will elicit enthusiasm and creativity and build the kind of powerful company that people recognize for its innate value and effectiveness.

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202

Publisher

Berrett-Koehler Publishers

Published Date

ISBN 10

1523098740

ISBN 13

9781523098743

American Legislative Leaders in the Midwest, 1911-1994

By: Charles F. Ritter,James Roger Sharp,Nancy Weatherly Sharp,Jon L. Wakelyn

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American Legislative Leaders in the Midwest, 1911-1994

By: Charles F. Ritter,James Roger Sharp,Nancy Weatherly Sharp,Jon L. Wakelyn

The second of four volumes comprising a biographical dictionary of state house speakers from 1911 to 1994, this book covers speakers from Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Entries provide basic biographical and career information on more than 1,400 speakers. The book opens with an analytical introduction and includes useful statistical appendixes. The four volumes, covering state speakers in the West, Midwest, Northeast, and South, are designed to complement Charles R. Ritter's and Jon L. Wakelyn's book American Legislative Leaders, 1850-1910 (1989).

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375

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Bloomsbury Publishing USA

Published Date

ISBN 10

0313032076

ISBN 13

9780313032073

The Good Country

A History of the American Midwest, 1800–1900

By: Jon K. Lauck

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The Good Country

A History of the American Midwest, 1800–1900

By: Jon K. Lauck

At the center of American history is a hole—a gap where some scholars’ indifference or disdain has too long stood in for the true story of the American Midwest. A first-ever chronicle of the Midwest’s formative century, The Good Country restores this American heartland to its central place in the nation’s history. Jon K. Lauck, the premier historian of the region, puts midwestern “squares” center stage—an unorthodox approach that leads to surprising conclusions. The American Midwest, in Lauck’s cogent account, was the most democratically advanced place in the world during the nineteenth century. The Good Country describes a rich civic culture that prized education, literature, libraries, and the arts; developed a stable social order grounded in Victorian norms, republican virtue, and Christian teachings; and generally put democratic ideals into practice to a greater extent than any nation to date. The outbreak of the Civil War and the fight against the slaveholding South only deepened the Midwest’s dedication to advancing a democratic culture and solidified its regional identity. The “good country” was, of course, not the “perfect country,” and Lauck devotes a chapter to the question of race in the Midwest, finding early examples of overt racism but also discovering a steady march toward racial progress. He also finds many instances of modest reforms enacted through the democratic process and designed to address particular social problems, as well as significant advances for women, who were active in civic affairs and took advantage of the Midwest’s openness to women in higher education. Lauck reaches his conclusions through a measured analysis that weighs historical achievements and injustices, rejects the acrimonious tones of the culture wars, and seeks a new historical discourse grounded in fair readings of the American past. In a trying time of contested politics and culture, his book locates a middle ground, fittingly, in the center of the country.

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363

Publisher

University of Oklahoma Press

Published Date

ISBN 10

0806191414

ISBN 13

9780806191416

Book's by Jon Katz

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