Jon Katz

how a rescue donkey taught me the meaning of compassion

Saving Simon

Do animals have souls? Some of our greatest thinkers—Aristotle, Plato, Thomas Aquinas—and countless animal lovers have been obsessed with this question for thousands of years. Now New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz looks for an answer. With his signature wisdom, humor, and clarity, Katz relates the stories of the animals he lives with on Bedlam Farm and finds remarkable kinships at every turn. Whether it is beloved sheepdog Rose’s brilliant and methodical herding ability, Mother the cat’s keen mousing instincts, or Izzy’s canine compassion toward hospice patients, Katz is mesmerized to see in them individual personas and sparks of self-awareness. Soul of a Dog will resonate with anyone who loves dogs, cats, or other animals—and who wonders about the spirits that animate them and the deepening hold they have on our lives.

Reflections on the Spirits of the Animals of Bedlam Farm

Soul of a Dog

Assisting the farmer throughout a bitterly cold late-winter lambing season, Rose, a tough and dedicated sheep dog, finds her job complicated by a terrible blizzard, during which the farmer is injured; dwindling supplies; and circling coyotes. By the author of The Dogs of Bedlam Farm. 35,000 first printing.

A Novel

Rose in a Storm

Tending to Life, Love, and Family

The New Work of Dogs

As Izzy settles down to life on Bedlam Farm, Jon is amazed that all signs of the troubled rescue dog who first arrived have disappeared. More than this, the Border collie demonstrates an uncanny sensitivity to, and tenderness towards, humans who are troubled or ill. Izzy's unusual gift leads Jon off the farm and into new, extraordinary friendships, as they together begin volunteer hospice work. Izzy shows Jon what dogs can do for people at our most desperate times. But the work isn't easy, and Jon is reminded that at times he is needy himself. Enter Lenore, a glossy jet-black Labrador retriever puppy, whose seemingly boundless capacity for love reminds Katz why he'd come to the farm in the first place - and why he'd devoted so much of his life to working with dogs. The Dog who Loved is a moving and inspiring story of love, compassion, and the incredibly rich and complex relationships between dogs and humans. Please note, The Dog who Loved is the UK title for the book published in the US as Izzy and Lenore.

Lenore, the Puppy who Rescued Me

The Dog who Loved

Twelve Months, Four Dogs, and Me

A Dog Year

In a portrait of one remarkable dog, the author recalls Orson, a troubled border collie that turned the author's world upside down, following the dog through its various incarnations as untamable wild beast, lovable lunatic, and beloved companion.

The Story of Orson, who Changed My Life

A Good Dog

In 'Talking to Animals', Jon Katz - who left his Manhattan life behind two decades ago for life on a farm where he is surrounded by dogs, cats, sheep, horses, cows, goats and chickens - marshals his experience to offer us a deeper insight into animals and the tools needed for effectively communicating with them. Devoting each chapter to an animal from his life, Katz tells funny and illuminating stories about his profound experiences with them, showing us how healthy engagement with animals falls into five key areas: food, movement, visualization, language and instincts

How You Can Understand Animals and They Can Understand You

Talking to Animals

The wonderful real-life story of Rose and Izzy, two very hard-working, but very cheeky, border collies by Sunday Times bestselling author Jon Katz. Now published for younger readers for the first time!

The Cheekiest Dogs on the Farm

Rose & Izzy

A collection of dog-themed stories includes the tales of a woman's farewell to a beloved retriever, a young girl's instant connection with a shelter puppy, and a sheepdog's confrontation with an injured coyote.

Stories

Dancing Dogs

From the acclaimed author of A Good Dog, Dog Days, and Going Home comes this eBook original—a poignant memoir that celebrates Jon Katz’s beloved border collie, Rose, and their transformative years together on Bedlam Farm. “I like to say you get the dog you need,” Jon Katz writes, “and I don’t think any human ever needed a dog more than I needed Rose in the fall of 2003.” That year, Katz embarked on a quixotic quest, moving from the suburbs of New Jersey to a sprawling farm in upstate New York to pursue his dream of becoming a writer. And by his side was Rose, his unswervingly loyal and unflappable new dog. Whether herding sheep on the rolling hillsides, rounding up the neighbors’ stray cows, or rescuing lambs on a freezing winter night, Rose had a nimble mind and a great love for work. Never wanting to be coddled, she watched over Bedlam Farm with singular focus and efficiency, protecting Katz and his menagerie from wild coyotes and menacing storms. Yet Rose saved Katz in more ways than he ever imagined. As he struggled to manage the farm’s daily dramas—and continued to seek his true sense of purpose—Rose connected him to his deeper humanity and a more authentic life. With warmth, insight, and emotional honesty, Jon Katz has written a joyful remembrance of a one-of-a-kind dog. The Story of Rose reaffirms the profound bond people share with their pets, and the ways that animals indelibly shape our lives. “Jon Katz understands dogs as few others do, intuitively and unburdened by sentimentality. . . . With wisdom and grace, he unlocks the canine soul and the complicated wonders that lie within and offers powerful insights.”—John Grogan, author of Marley & Me Includes moving excerpts from Going Home, and from Jon Katz’s upcoming short-story collection, Dancing Dogs.

A Man and His Dog

The Story of Rose

The author describes how Izzy, a dog with an uncanny sensitivity toward ill and troubled humans, led him to to take on the difficult but rewarding job of hospice volunteer, while his acquisition of Lenore, a Labrador puppy, helped him overcome depression.

Two Dogs, an Unexpected Journey, and Me

Izzy and Lenore

Esta é a história entre o autor Katz e Orson, o seu cão 'inesquecível'. Ele e seu companheiro canino exploram prados, florestas, se aquecem ao pé de um fogão a lenha e desenvolvem uma relação de amizade ímpar. Uma busca mútua por carinho e atenção, na qual ambos abraçam o destino que surge diante deles. 'Orson' é o cachorro que cada um de nós tem guardado na memória.

UM CACHORRO PARA TODA A VIDA

Orson

When Jon Katz hears about Izzy, a three-year-old Border collie kept alone in a field, he can't help but agree to take him in. But Jon already has three other dogs at home back on his farm including Rose - Jon's hard-working sidekick. How will the rest of the farm take to the new arrival?

Rose and Izzy the Cheekiest Dogs on the Farm

The author offers an introspective look at one man's search for meaning and change as he approaches fifty, explaining how he found a way to redefine himself

A Journey of Faith and Change

Running to the Mountain

One of the many oppressed employees at United States Broadcasting, Peter Herbert struggles to maintain a precarious balance between employment and personal integrity in the face of an ugly corporate takeover. Reprint.

Sign Off

Life for Jon and the animals of Bedlam Farm is busier than ever, but from the moment Jon catches sight of Lenore, a very cute little Labrador puppy, he cannot resist. And it's not long before she has a home on the farm too! She happily eats everything in sight - eggs, socks, and even chicken droppings! - and tries her hardest to make friends, but will Lenore's mischievous charm win everybody over? Read all about Lenore as she settles into her new home in this wonderful real-life story.

Lenore, The Hungriest Dog in the World

BONUS: This edition contains an excerpt from Jon Katz's Going Home. Rose is determined and focused, keeping the sheep out of danger and protecting the other creatures on the farm she calls home. But of all those she’s looked after since coming to the farm as a puppy, it is Sam, the farmer, whom she watches most carefully. Awoken one cold midwinter night during lambing season, Rose and Sam struggle into the snowy dark to do their work. The ever observant Rose has seen a change in her master of late, ever since Sam’s wife disappeared one day. She senses something else in the air as well: A storm is coming, but not like any of the ones she’s seen over the years. And when an epic blizzard hits the region, it will take all of Rose’s resolve, resourcefulness, and courage to help Sam save the farm and the creatures who live there.

"In his previous books, Katz introduced us to the menagerie at Bedlam Farm, including Izzy, the border collie rescue. Affectionate and intuitive, Izzy is unlike any dog Katz has encountered, and the two undertake a journey Katz could not have imagined without the arrival of a new companion: a spirited, bright-eyed black Labrador puppy named Lenore. As trained hospice volunteers visiting homes and nursing facilities, Katz and Izzy bring comfort to people who most need it. As Izzy bonds with patients and Katz focuses on their families, the author begins to come to terms with his own life, discovering dark realities he has never confronted. Meanwhile, Lenore--quickly dubbed the Hound of Love--arrives at Bedlam. Her genial personality and boundless capacity for affection steer Katz out of the shadows, rekindle his love of working with dogs, and restore his connection to the farm and the animals and people around him."--Jacket.

The New York Times bestselling author of Talking to Animals chronicles the seasons of life on his farm, a time during which he discovers profound and heartwarming life lessons through his interactions with the animals and the rural community around him. After a lifetime living and working in urban environments, John Katz decided to leave city life behind and buy a farm in upstate New York. He vowed to live as a farmer, dependent only on his land and animals and to reconnect with the natural world. All too soon however, he discovered that Mother Nature is as unforgiving as she is bountiful, and that struggle—not comfort—is often the key to finding lasting peace. Alongside his faithful companions—his beloved border collies Red and Fate, his small herd of sheep, and a few horses—Katz found new ways to look at the world, making sure he and his flock survived not only physically but spiritually. In eleven stories, spanning one year, Katz’s experiences morph into allegories that explore concepts like mercy, pride, aging and community. As the seasons progress, we meet the newest addition to the Bedlam Farm family—Gus, a wild-eyed puppy Boston terrier who wins Katz’s heart and convinces him that small dogs—and people too—can go far beyond their perceived limits. In training Gus, doing therapy work with the elderly, and connecting with refugees in his community, Katz shows that even in a fractured, contentious world we can still escape isolation and argument, one animal or one good deed at a time. “Katz’s world—of animals and humans and their combined generosity of spirit—is a place you’re glad you’ve been” (The Boston Globe on Izzy & Lenore).

Jon Katz

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