Over this Easter weekend, I have finished reading Izzy & Lenore, another great dog book by Jon Katz.
Although Katz’s earlier books talk about his life establishing Bedlam Farm in upstate New York, and his menagerie of animals, this book gives us some depth into who Jon Katz is as a person, and he’s honest about his own battle with depression.
Izzy is a Border Collie that is rescued by Katz and he’s intelligent, with the seeming ability to connect to people in all circumstances. This dog seems to have an infinite amount of compassion, despite being abandoned by his previous owners. Katz and Izzy become trained as hospice volunteers and so throughout the book, there are tales of hospice cases that the two become involved in. If you have ever had a loved one experience a terminal illness, dealt with the effects of old age and infirmity, these stories will resonate with you.
Lenore is a congenial Labrador puppy who joins the pack.
In this book, Katz faces his own battle with depression and he explains some of the dark secrets that he and his sister share.
I recommend this book, as I have all the others I have read by Jon Katz. I wish I had his talent for storytelling and – perhaps best of all – unlike previous stories of Bedlam Farm, no dogs die during the course of this story.
Kathleen Crisley, specialist in dog massage, rehabilitation and nutrition/food therapy, The Balanced Dog, Christchurch, New Zealand
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