b'books, movies, music & more.A REGULAR COLUMN FEATURING REVIEWS OF DOG-THEMED BOOKS, MUSIC & FILMBooks Worth Reading Are Worth Re-ReadingSeveral hundred books have been read, reviewed and featured inThe New Barkerover the last 15 years. With summer around the bend, here is a short list of 13favorites, in no particular order, previously featured in our Books, Movies, Musie& More column over the years. Pick up an old book and read it again for the firsttime. Another story awaits. relegatedtoasanctuaryinFloridacalled Dog Island.Benoit Denizet-Lewis TravelsWith CaseyAnothertravelogue,thistimeina rented motorhome with the authorsLabrador Retriver Casey. The purposeis to try and learn about life by study-ing the relationship humans have withdogs. Of course, it is a journey of self-discoveryforboththemanandhisown dog. DaveBarrysLessonsFromLucyApparently, the Pulitzer Prize winnerbelieved he was getting old, and washavingadifficulttimeacceptingit.Oneday,afterwatchinghisdogLucy and realizing they were about thesameage(Lucyindogyears,ofcourse),heconcludesthattoadog,age has absolutely no relevance. Its atthis point he also realizes that its beenawhile since hes written a book, andwouldnt a book about Lucy be a goodsubject,afterall?Fromthewildlytwisted mind of Barry, who describeshis muse as a powerful, groin-seekingmissileoflovecomesastorythatissurprisinglysentimentalinaverygood way.John Steinbecks Travels With Charley Arin Greenwoods Your Robot Dog MarthaSherrillsDogMan: Anis a classic for any dog lover. In 1960, Will DieThe characters in Greenwoods UncommonLifeOnAFarawayJohn Steinbeck journeyed cross coun- secondnovelinhabitaworldwhere Mountain Beautifullywritten,thistryinconvertedcampertruckhes therearenomoredogs.Anexperi- powerfultruestoryisaboutamannamedRocinantewithhisFrench ment gone awry. The species stopped widely-creditedwithpreservingthePoodleCharley. Alongtheway,he waggingtheirtailsandhysteria Akita dog breed in the snow country ofreflectsontheAmericancharacter, ensued, followed by the order of mass Japan during World War II. Dog Manracialhostility,andtheunexpected euthanasia. That is, except for a small isasmuchaboutmarriageasitiskindness of strangers. numberofdogswhohavebeen about dogs. 46 THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'