This column had the pleasure of sitting and staying awhile with Julie Klam, author of the New York Times bestseller You Had Me at Woof, last year (read that interview here.) Today, her second dog book goes on sale.
Julie’s latest is called Love at First Bark: How Saving a Dog Can Sometimes Help You Save Yourself. It’s a very worthy follow-up toher last K9 title that will deserve its inevitable bestseller status, because it’s an irresistible celebration of what happens when a person — any person — rescues a dog (any dog).
What happens is, you get an amazing lift. And sometimes, you get rescued as much as (or perhaps more than) the dog does.
The book — compact enough to be a great stocking stuffer for anyone on your holiday gift list — is an absolute pleasure to read, and can easily be devoured in one sitting (or, in my case, two subway rides).
It’s divided into three sections:
1. Morris the Pit Bull, Couples Therapist — this chapter is all about Julie’s rescue of a dog who was later renamed Puck, and went to the excellent Simon Foundation in Connecticut; read about this wonderful place here, and please consider it when opening the wallet to make charitable donations).
2. My Darling Clementine — all about a Boston Terrier so sweet, she’s named for the sweetest species of citrus fruit.
3. There Is a Dog House in New Orleans — in which you’ll fall in love with the dogs and dog rescuers of Louisiana, who, six years on, still struggle with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Among them is Julie’s friend and fellow author, Ken Foster.
As readers have come to expect from Julie Klam, the book is written in a style that alternates between laugh-out-loud hilarious and genuinely heart-tugging. Her signature honey-and-salt voice is a winner that never grows treacly or maudlin.
Meanwhile, her tweets may be counted on to be wonderfully witty; follow her at @JulieKlam. (And whatever you do, don’t miss the trailer for Love at First Bark, which features a scene-stealing cameo by Timothy Hutton.)
New Yorkers can have the pleasure of hearing this distinctive literary voice in person tonight (Tuesday, Oct. 18), when Julie kicks off her book tour at Word Brooklyn, in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn.
Hope to see you there!
