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A Small Furry Prayer: Dog Rescue and the Meaning of Life Audiobook
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(3.04) - 495 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Steven Kotler was forty years old, single, and facing an existential crisis when he met Lila, a woman devoted to animal rescue. "Love me, love my dogs" was her rule, and Steven took it to heart. Spurred to move by a housing crisis in Los Angeles, Steven, Lila, and their eight dogs—then ten, then twenty, and then they lost count—bought a postage-stamp-size farm in Chimayo, New Mexico. A Small Furry Prayer chronicles their adventures at Rancho de Chihuahua, the sanctuary they created for their special needs pack.
While dog rescue is one of the largest underground movements in America, it is also one of the least understood. An insider look at the "cult and culture" of dog rescue, A Small Furry Prayer weaves personal experience, cultural investigation, and scientific inquiry into a fast-paced, fun-filled narrative that explores what it means to devote one's life to the furry and the four-legged. Along the way, Kotler combs through every aspect of canine-human relations, from humans' long history with dogs through brand-new research into the neuroscience of canine companionship, in the end discovering why living in a world made of dog may be the best way to uncover the truth about what it really means to be human.
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"I admit it, I'm a sucker for dog/cat/bird/monkey books. I especially enjoyed this book - one, because the subjects were the hardest-luck adoption cases (pit bulls, dobermans, inbred and diseased and hopeless) but the author showed his love for them; and two, because the author examined topics of behavior (both dog and human) in much more depth than most of these books."
— Diana (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Steven Kotler captures something essential about dogs and humans in a way I have not seen anyone else do. With a hip, growling intensity, Small Furry Prayer is bound to inspire.”
— Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, New York Times bestselling author -
Brimming with humor, gratitude, and grace, this is a remarkable story.
— Publishers Weekly Starred Review -
“It’s amazing and also very encouraging to find a book like this one, filled with original thought and plenty of new information. And if that’s not enough, it’s a great read, a real page turner.”
— Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, New York Times bestselling author -
“With nods to psychological and ethological research, Kotler describes…the power of animal bonds, positing that our canine connections tell us about human nature.”
— Psychology Today -
“Part Hunter Thompson, part Carlos Castaneda, but mostly so original that it’s difficult to peg…This is a delightful, rich read sure to take you to unexpected places and beyond.”
— Bark magazine -
“Anyone who is interested in the human-animal connection, the bond that we feel with our dogs, will find this book fascinating. It’s almost a guarantee that you will look at your dog in a totally different way.”
— Examiner (London) -
“Joyous…Brimming with humor, gratitude, and grace, this is a remarkable story.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“A well-articulated understanding of how humans and dogs coevolved and background on animal welfare efforts in this country with his witty, sharp-edged, and rewarding reflections on life…Highly recommended not only for dog lovers but for readers of memoir, biology, and anthropology and seekers generally.”
— Library Journal (starred review) -
“Part memoir and part philosophical study of the dog-human relationship…Kotler elevates this tale about saving dogs to a story about human stewardship of life.”
— Booklist -
“Offers a touching account of Chihuahua adventures alongside interesting blurbs on the history of pet ownership…[and] a heartfelt example of humanitarianism at work.”
— Kirkus Reviews
Awards
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A Bark magazine selection
A Small Furry Prayer Listener Reviews
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" This book is surprisingly not over sentimental, and follows a writer into the world of dog rescue, where he talks about his personal experience and also the scientific and spiritual experience he has with dogs, and that arguably all human beings have with dogs, from their conception! Very interesting! "
— Marlane, 2/2/2014 -
" Amazing book! If you can get through it without crying, then you have no soul. Everyone should read this book!!! "
— Carey, 2/1/2014 -
" An unexpectedly extraordinary book. I read this when it first came out and find I'm still thinking about insights it offers. "
— Laura, 1/28/2014 -
" Sometimes it got a bit too heavy on philosophy and there was a lot of reflecting on philosopher's but in the end it was all worth it and it made sense. I enjoyed reading with my small furry prayer beside me. I admire animal rescue and I admire Steven Kotler for putting it all out there. "
— Angie, 1/15/2014 -
" First person account of a couple who became dog rescuers. Down-to-earth and honest. Kotler throws in some new ideas -- such as, did humankind first adopt the prehistoric wolf -- or did those early wolfdogs adopt us? "
— Brian, 12/25/2013 -
" Quirky, endearing, thought-provoking... I enjoyed the author's sense of humor and his ability to introduce topics of discussion that I never imagined to find in a "dog book." A favorite, for sure. "
— Ellen, 12/18/2013 -
" I laughed, I cried, I laughed so hard I cried. What a beautiful, thoughtful, wonderful book. I highly recommend to anyone who happily shares their life with dogs. "
— Karen, 4/14/2013 -
" Don't even think about reading this without a box of tissue handy "
— Janette, 3/17/2013 -
" I guess I thought this book would be more about the couple and their experiences with their rescue dogs. Instead it was a book filled with history/the ways and whys of our brains and animal behavior. It was somewhat interesting but I am more interested in experiences than the reasons why. "
— Karen, 2/27/2013 -
" I won a copy of this book here on GR, and though it wasn't what I expected, it was a really good book. Funny how a dog can worm its way into the heart of someone who isn't a "dog person". Recommended! "
— Melodie, 4/25/2012 -
" So much more than I anticipated! "
— Monica, 3/8/2012 -
" I found the book wordy and full of psychology. While I enjoyed the parts about the author 's tales of his dogs I found myself skipping large parts of the book when he digresses away from the dogs' antics and delves into past philosophers works and ideas. "
— Tanya, 2/18/2012 -
" This was an interesting read. A memoir of sorts about rescuing dogs in an area that isn't too fond of dogs interspersed with information about research about the inner workings of the minds of dogs and other animals. "
— Amanda, 9/9/2011 -
" Goes lightyears beyond the heartwarmingly hilarious stories of life with 20 special-needs dogs for in-depth discussion of the relationship between man and dog - philosophically, psychologically and biologically. "
— Karen, 6/6/2011 -
" A little bit too journalistic in terms of style but a great read, touching, funny, sad and ultimately a very interesting and inspirational tale supported by fascinating research. "
— JP, 5/7/2011 -
" About half way through. Interesting book. Fascinating background information about psychology; dogs; relationships; evolution; many concepts presented with scientific background to support the ideas. Coupled with personal experiences and funny commentary. "
— Pam, 3/1/2011 -
" This book is a mix of philosophy, history, psychology, mysticism and, oh yeah, about a guy who gives up his fast L.A. lifestyle to follow the girl he loves to the middle of the desert to rescue special needs dogs. Dog lovers will shed more than a tear and learn more than a few factoids. "
— Gretchen, 2/18/2011 -
" Really fascinating, actually. Not as mushy as the title might lead you to believe. There is the normal day to day sheltering stuff as well as some history, biology, and philosophy. "
— Amber, 1/9/2011 -
" Although I enjoyed this book, it was different from what I expected. There was A LOT of psychology. "
— Kristen, 11/8/2010 -
" I very much enjoyed the reasearch he included. the connection between humans and animals, specifically dogs, is fascinating. "
— Laurel, 11/1/2010 -
" Although I think of myself as a cat person, I really enjoyed this book! It was a delightful read, and anyone who loves animals will find this a great book, exploring dog-human relationships, animal bonds and animal rescue. "
— Laurel, 10/27/2010
About Steven Kotler
Steven Kotler is a New York Times bestselling author, an award-winning journalist, and the executive director of the Flow Research Collective. He is one of the world’s leading experts on human performance. He is the author of more than a dozen books, including The Art of Impossible, The Future Is Faster Than You Think, and Abundance. His work has been nominated for two Pulitzer Prizes, translated into over forty languages, and has appeared in over 100 publications, including the New York Times Magazine, Wired, Atlantic Monthly, Time, and the Harvard Business Review. He is the cohost of Flow Research Collective Radio, a top-ten iTunes science podcast. He is the founder, along with his wife, of the Rancho de Chihuahua, a hospice and special needs dog sanctuary.
About Kevin Foley
Kevin Foley, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, has more than thirty years of experience in radio and television broadcasting, commercial voice-overs, and audiobook narration. He has recorded more than 150 audiobooks, including River Thunder by Gary McCarthy, for which he earned a Spur Award for Best Audiobook from the Western Writers of America.