The Dogfather

A retired accountant named Jacob Hand builds a no-kill shelter after befriending a stray dog on his morning walk. The author described the difficulties and joys of developing his project. He stresses the importance of developing resources to help, protect and advocate for the animals within one’s community. The reader soon realizes that running an animal shelter is much more than caring for the animals. The business aspect of achieving the goals of caring for and securing forever homes for the animals is a challenging endeavor. Funny and joyful vignettes are scattered throughout the book’s pages. An entertaining read for anyone who loves animals.

2.      Foodfellas

Two guys who love to eat decide to become food critics and develop a podcast featuring their opinions about restaurants in their city. The two fellows find unexpected success when their podcast gains a substantial number of listeners. They even gain Martha Stewart as a sponsor. They make a colossal mistake when they sharply criticized Calabrian, an Italian restaurant owned by a “made man” in the Mafia.

3.      The Hook Thief

A Russian boy steals fishing hooks, lures and dry flies from the tackle boxes of distracted anglers. He then sells the items to other fishmen, telling them he is selling the items for his grandfather, who lost his legs during World War II and makes the artificial bait to help support the family. One day he steals a set of lures from a Russian agent who plans to plant the lures in the tackle box of a man the KGB expect of being a spy for the United States. Little does the boy know that the hooks on the lures and flies are laced with Dimethylmercury: a slow killer by which the victim comes to know that he is been infected only in the final stages. There is no known medical cure for the affected person.

4.      A Thousand Splendid Buns

A deli owner, John Daugherty, and a baker, Betsy Reed, both widowed with teen daughters, come together to bake buns and make sandwiches for people displaced by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans in 2005. Betsy promises to provide 1000 buns and John the a variety of meats along with   lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, and mustard. The story focuses on the relationship that develops between John a wounded war hero who suffers from PSTD and now a single mother, who inherited the bakery from her father.

There is a sub-story about the daughters and two young EMT’s from the Chicago Fire Department who came to New Orleans to help after the storm. The book is an enjoyable read for those who like excitement and romance written in the creative non-fiction genre.

5.      Animal Harm

 Farmer Orwell discovers a summer employee named Jim is a nerdy vegan, and an undercover agent for PETA. He opens the chicken coops and allows the hens freedom. When confronted by Orwell, Jim said he listened to the pleading of the hens, agreed with their plight, and so he had no choice but to open their coops. Once free, Heather Hen finds Rodey Rooster, her boyfriend, and the two conspire to plan a strike. Their plan becomes reality and the chickens strike. Their bargaining point is that they will lay no eggs until free-range freedom becomes a reality. The two convince homing pigeons, being raised by the farmer’s daughter, to carry the word to other farms. News of the strike on the Orwell farm sparks similar rebellions on the surrounding farms. The farmers meet, and after a long and heated discussion, decide they must negotiate. The hens and roosters elect Heather Hen and Rodey Rooster to be their representative to negotiate with the farmers. However, the well-laid plans of the fowls may not go as expected.