Pros: Outrageous humor with unsheathed claws Magnificent photographs, even the ones of cats
Cons: None.None. None.
The Bottom Line: My kind of book. Plentiful pictures accompanied by witty text. Should be at the top of your list for yourself or for a gift. Perfect coffee table book.
nagels's Full Review: Bradley Trevor Greive - Why Dogs Are Better Than C...
Let's imagine you're a fan of a football team, perhaps the Ravens. Your friend is a fan of a team masquerading as an NFL team, perhaps one called the Redskins. You like to tease your friend by pointing out the qualities and successes of the Ravens and the hypothetical shortcomings and failures of the Redskins. Teasing that's heavy-handed, relentless, and merciless won't be appreciated or be forgiven by your Redskin fan friend. Gentle, good-natured jibing, though, even that accompanied by obvious hyperbole will be enjoyed and accepted as being all in fun.
Bradley Greive's "Why Dogs Are Better Than Cats pokes fun of cats and their owners while extolling the limitless virtues of man's best friend, the dog. The author tells us that the explosion of the feline population coincides with the decline of modern civilization, and that dogs are really the only viable choice for a pet; no other animal equates.
The author's barbs and quips never quit, and never fail to elicit a smirk or a wide-open smile. He tells us that he actually applauds the qualities of cats, both of them. Except for the superficial differences cats are all the same, indifferent and neurotic. As far as cat owners go, they are mostly warped and stunted contrarians, recluses, highly-driven, seldom home types, or those with a Mother Teresa complex who pity the helpless and the losers of this earth.
Greive's relentless cat sarcasm is so tongue-in cheek that he must have sprained his tongue during the writing of this book. His digs are never ending, and yet his humor is just as fresh and satisfying on page 200 as it is on page one. There comes a point in the book where Grieve relents, begrudgingly admitting that cats are not totally evil and without redemption. They're easy to feed and don't have any of the negative canine traits like slobbering or planting a nose in a visitor's crotch.
Chapter Titles: There is a Dog For Everybody Dogs are Man's Best Friend Dogs are Social; Cats are Sociopaths Cat People and Dog People: a Study In Contrasts Cats Are NOT Without Their Charms In Praise of Dogs The Downside of Dogs (Yes, there are downsides.) The Best and Worst Thing About Dogs A Breed Apart
I've read scores of books this year and "Why Dogs Are Better Than Cats" certainly ranks as one of my top five favorites. The humor is genuinely funny and the sharp digs of cats and their owners is delicious. Even cat people, at least those who have a sense of humor, might enjoy this book or certainly the pages featuring pictures of cute, adorable kittens.
The photographs in the book are nothing short of magnificent. They're the kinds of pictures one wishes he or she could take just once in a lifetime. Here the lucky reader is treated to a book full of those once in a lifetime shots like the wide-eyed mouse resting comfortably on a Pekingese cat's head, the beautiful Siamese peeking into a perfectly arched Tom and Jerry mouse hole, or the magnificent Great Dane standing on two legs as ripples of water cascade off his muscular body into the lake in which he's standing.
Two minor complaints: None of the dog or cat breeds are noted, so the reader can only guess as to their pedigree. There are three pages of footnotes in the back of the book, and I thought it a chore to interrupt my reading to flip to the other side of the book to learn the rest of the story. In time I didn't mind because the footnotes are as funny and entertaining as the rest of the book. One can even read the three pages of footnotes as an entity out of context and still find pleasure and relevant information sometimes serious, sometimes arcane but never boring. I found it fascinating to learn in a footnote about George Clooney's pet pig Max.
I enthusiastically award this book five stars plus. Under the dust jacket is a beautifully embossed, handsome hard cover anyone would be proud to display. I'd suggest Greive's book as a great gift for the hopelessly doting dog owner or even some open-minded felinephiles.
224 pages Andrews McMeel Publishing (October 20, 2009) Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.1 x 1.3 inches Printed and bound in China
Teaming up on their first collaborative effort, New York Times -bestselling author Greive and award-winning photographer Hale explain once and for all...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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