This was a good book, however, I was looking for more solutions to behavioral problems (especially play-biting) than this book gave you. It mostly talked about why your cat might do a certain action, and not a lot of solutions as to how to change your cat's bad behavior. It kept suggesting that you get two cats which might not be an option for some people.

This is a fabulous book! I had a good cat to start, but I wanted to understand her better. Brian and Sarah's book helped me understand what my cat was trying to tell me with her body language. Consequesntly, my cat has become more outgoing when people come over. In addition, this book was the main reason I was able to keep the peace when I brought a new dog home.

I read some other animal training books, and this book manages to cover the core of what you really need to know about cats better than the rest. I liked it so much, I also purchased Good Ownners, Great Dogs - which is also the best in its field.

I first saw Brian Kilcommons on the late lamented "Pet News" program on Fox News Channel. He is an obvious lover of animals in general but also has a vast knowledge of pet behavior and understanding of how to raise pets for maximum enjoyment, not only for us, their owners, but for the pets themselves.

Mr. Kilcommons very obviously is owned by several cats! He is an astute observer of their behaviors but does admit to being puzzled by them from time to time. His affection for felines is the overwhelming theme of this book.

You will find everything you need to know about your cat in this book. From choosing a kitten to litter box training to the psychology of cat behavior, it is all here, explained in simple to understand language, and with humor sprinkled throughout. Mr. Kilcommons also includes a section on making your cats' natural behaviors and quirks into "tricks" they can perform!

You will find the answers to many of your questions as to why your cat makes that certain expression, why they wake you at 3am, and why out of 10 people in a room, they will go to the one who likes cats the least. You will also find first aid information, vaccination recommendations, and a wealth of cat health facts.

I am owned by 2 cats and find myself referring to this book again and again. Whenever I need a question answered, I find the answer in this book. It is like having a personal advisor! I recommend this book highly if you are even thinking about getting a cat.

A superbly edited collection of a few dozen features, interviews and editorials that serve as an excellent primer to the Smile-era Beach Boys, as well insights into the early years and Brian's solo daze as well. With reviews. Very good value; 4/5.

This is a wonderful collection of articles covering the Beach Boys and Brian Wilson. Much better than reading those sad tabloid "biographies". It is refreshing to read about the music and not about courtrooms.

Solid chapters on all aspects of the group, its troubles, controversies, triumphs, from the most noted Beach Boys scholars (Nick Kent, David Felton, David Leaf, Timothy White, Dominic Priore, Tom Nolan, Jules Siegal, Kingsley Abbott), of the last 30 years. A bit detailed but also designed to be a fun read. Diehard fans and new recruits will both dig it.

An excellent Aldiss book. It annnotates the history of mankind as told by its replacement. Telling the tale like a geologist would - using million, billion, thousand, and hundred year increments - Aldiss shows how man is the perfect seedling for populating the universe as well as the ultimate vehicle for its self-destruction. Man ruins the Earth, leaves Earth for the stars, tackles the problems of time travel through an intergrated form of speech-like alchemy, rediscovers a still populated Earth but does not belive it to be the Earth of myth, renames Earth as there are already hundreds of planets in the universe laying claim to that distinction, unifies the universe, institutes galactic warfare as a necessary economical device, and destroys the universe in a truely unique battle against man's successor. Time is the constant, and Aldiss makes us aware that we are just a silly soap opera for the infinate to enjoy for but a minute or two.

A series of short stories, each dealing with a specific era in the human development and future histoy. Alldis is known in his intelligent and philosofic works and this one is not only keeping those high standarts , but stands out as a wonderfull, imaginative story of our race , millions of years into the future. super recommended. enjoy.

I read this book as a teenager, and then many other times. It's a story of mankind spanning millions of years. This book is one-of-a-kind, for the gigantic scale on which is projected, the bold imagination, the long silences between flashes of history that let yor mind fascinated for the untold but imagined. And there is a subtle sadness for those million lives, their joys and despairs... but always life flourishes in unexpected ways. Reading this book is like looking at the sky in a clear night and wondering at the immense universe.

This is, by far, the best book I've ever read on dog training and behavior. I bought this book in anticipation of a dog that I am about to acquire. Absolutely everything is covered in this book. It makes everything seem so simple and easy. I can't think of anything that is not covered. I truly look forward to applying these techniques to the raising of my dog. I recommend this book to absolutely anyone that has or is thinking of getting a dog. Superb!!!

Title says all. This as information on training, and they have updated their meathods (from Good Owners, Great Dogs) and they are more open and flexable about tactics to train any breed.

I had been anticipating this book for some time - it's authors Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson have a number of wonderful pet resource books to choose from.
I read MetroDog cover to cover very quickly and then went back and savoured it more slowly. This is a wonderful book for dog owners - all dog owners - but especially suited to urban dwellers.
The book design is well thought out - the photographs are great and the shaded and boxed areas are very helpful - full of good hints and advice.
EVERYTHING is covered - from choosing a pup for city living to training to behaviour issues. They have thought of just about everything that a dog owner needs to know.
I think this book is a valuable resource and I find myself referring to it often to look up little bits of information as I need them. As a veterinarian and a puppy trainer, I highly recommend this book. I can't wait for the next installment.

Once again, a classic in the genre is out of print. If you can hunt this book down, it is worth the read. I haven't read any other generation ship stories before this one, but I found this one to not only be enjoyable but also emotionally compelling. Brian Aldiss is really trying to tell us about the built-in urge to be free and to discover who you really are. the plot is simple: The characters are on a huge ship hurtling through space but have no idea of that fact and simply know the ship as their world. The story unfolds as we discover the truth behind where and what the characters are. If you are interested at in in classic science fiction, then this is worth hunting down.

Written as response to Robert A. Heinlein's ORPHANS OF THE SKY, a novel he felt lacking in emotion, Aldiss' novel is a classic generation starship tale.

The idea that their universe is the inside of a giant spaceship is known but derided in the Greene tribe. They're a barbarous lot. They destroy books whenever they find them. The Teaching, a Freudian inspired religion with its talk of id and ego, values full and immediate expression of fear and anger lest the repression of those emotions curdle into neurosis. A nomadic lot, they seal off the hallway they live in, moving the barricades when they exhaust the "ponics", plants that abound in the ship's corridors. Their power stems from a cache of weapons found two generations ago.

And protagonist Roy Complain is not happy with his life in the tribe. He gets flogged for losing his woman on a hunting expedition into the "deadways" beyond the tribes "Quarters". Chaffing under the Teaching and floggings of his tribe, Complain decides to accompany priest Marapper and three others through the deadways and to the land of the advanced people of Forwards. Marapper expects, somewhere, to find the ship's control room, seize control of the vessel, and end this painful journey through the stars.

In his wanderings, Complain learns the truth behind the other groups -- the mutants, the Outsiders, and the Giants -- rumored to inhabit the ship. Aldiss puts an ironic twist to the generation starship tale, particularly ORPHANS OF THE SKY, when he reveals the exact situation of the ship. By novel's end, Aldiss gives a detailed and ingenious explanation for Complain's world.

It's not necessary to read the Heinlein story, or any other generation starship tale, to appreciate this fine novel. Aldiss gives us believable emotion and, in Complain, a fine portrait of a man growing into a true knowledge of himself and his world.

Mystery/suspense are seated comfortably alongside sci-fi in this story of a community of people searching for their lost past. Answers are hidden securely along the way, and are ultimately fascinating. The world Aldiss creates is strange and frightening, and the characters are memorable as each struggles for stability among chaos.

Brian Kilcommons is one of my favorite trainers. He's amazing to watch and very practical in his training. What makes this book stand out is the collection of stories from his years of training dogs, and it's difficult to tell which is more entertaining; the dogs or their owners. Filled with touching stories and hilarious anecdotes, I was delighted with this book and sorry it wasn't longer. Anyone who has ever attempted to train a canine can understand, enjoy and even learn from this light read.

Want to hear what is wrong with this book? Easy...it's not long enough. That is about it. I guess it would have been nice to have some photos of some of the dogs mentioned, but oh well. Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson, two well known dog trainers relate some of their experiences, both with client dogs and their own. The first story, involving a Jack Russell terrier that found a rather unique way to play with his tennis ball, had me laughing out loud. Brian's Rotweiler, Beau, conducting his own version of "chemical warfare" while waiting to go on at a talk show, the lady who was demonstrating to her dog how to go on the papers, Sarah dealing with a blizzard at their kennel, (Brian and Sarah are husband and wife as well as co-authors)while Brian is out of town. The terrier that was chasing a rabbit in an eighth floor apartment, the Maltese that finally bit off a little more than it could chew, every story is terrfic. Not all have happy endings, sadly, but every dog owner understands this. These two have several "must reads" for dog owners out, (with a new one coming soon)and also operate "GreatPets.com" which is rapidly becoming the most popular pet site on the web, if it is not already. There are two types of people who will like this book: Those who love dogs, and those who don't. If you fit in either of those categories, check it out I seriously doubt you will be disappointed.

I just finished reading Tales from the Bark Side, and I am still smiling. This book is wonderful. I laughed, I cried, and I laughed some more. Finally a book for true dog lovers. One that touches your soul and makes you smile from the inside out. I really could not put this book down. I found myself anticipating the next story, and the pages flew by. My only regret is that it is not 3 times as long as it is.

I recommend this book with all of me. If you love your dog, or anyone else's. You will treasure Tales From the Bark Side. The authors really let you inside their lives with every turn of the page. Bravo!

This should be a mandatory part of every dog lovers library. I just bought the audio version so I can listen to it in my car on the way to work. It really helps the traffic woes.

To sum up, if you are looking for a good "dog book" to snuggle up with for some night-time reading, or as a gift for the dog lover in your life, I strongly s! uggest you pick up this little gem. I'm so happy I did!!

This is a very good, concise reference that will help your dog or puppy get used to those interactions with short, fast-moving, screaming little people without making him a nervous wreck. Although primarily a book for owners who are prepping their young dog/puppy for future child/dog interactions, if you have an older dog that is not used to children these tips prove very sound advice as well. Also, like any good authors, if you have serious dog/child aggression and dominance they recommend that you get personal professional help. What I really like about this book though is the chapter on "DOGPROOFING YOUR CHILD". So many times it's always the DOGS fault for behaving inappropriately with children. It's nice to know that for once an author is stressing the importance of teaching your child how to behave around dogs. In the end, they also state that perhaps you would be better off without certain breeds of dog if you're going to have children. It's not fair to the dog. Sometimes you have to make that your primary concern. All in all an excellent book. One I would recommend school libraries buy so that children read and learn from it as well.

This book has helped hundreds of my clients understand the psychology behind the child-dog relationship and it has helped them avoid many of the common mistakes people make when dogs and kids mix. Brian and Sarah don't get into a lot of specifics on how to correct established problems, which is actually a good thing. It would take volumes of books to address exactly how each individual breed, temperament and problem should be handled. That perspective is best left to a reputable, thorough and non-violent trainer. Brian and Sarah give you good specific information on how to keep common problems from developing and some great general rules that apply to every breed of dog. None of their instruction is damaging to the child-dog relationship, which is saying a lot compared to many other authors of dog training books. Overall, this book is light, entertaining, non-clinical, and informative. I recommend it to any dog owner that has regular contact with children.

Kilcommons does new families a great favor with this book. "Child-proofing Your Dog" is a common sense approach to introducing your new child to your dog, preventing problems, and ensuring a long, close relationship. He dispels myths and gives new parents an idea of what to expect both from their dog and from themselves. He identifies often-missed (or exused) signs of dominance in dogs, explaining the natural progression from dominance to aggression if left unchecked. In cases where there is a specific problem involving advanced aggression toward a child he advises going to a professional, as would any responsible dog trainer in print. Kilcommons and Wilson have years of experience and wisdom in dog behavior and training; they've written a trustworthy, important 'preventative manual.'

This book deserves to be rediscovered, from lonely out-of-print land, if only for the awesome premise that Aldiss has created. Europe has been devastated by chemical warfare, and the weapon was psychedelic drugs. The unlikely perpetrator is Kuwait of all places, and that's ironic in more ways than one. Now the whole population is on a multiple personality-inducing acid trip. An aid worker named Charteris was one of the few people not affected, and as the only sane person around, all of the headtrippers think this guy is the messiah. But it turns out that the psychoactive effects of the drug are contagious, so Charteris becomes affected himself and starts to believe that he really is the messiah. As Charteris becomes more and more insane as the book progresses, so does the third-person narrator along with Aldiss' writing style, leading toward complete incomprehensibility.

Sadly, such an incredible premise is buried under a completely misguided writing endeavor. Aldiss has used this interesting idea to merely experiment with writing techniques that were derivative for their time. The book is 100% 1969 and is showing its age. The stream-of-insanity writing style that Aldiss inflicts on us here is a thinly disguised copy of the groundbreaking works of William Burroughs, plus a little of Philip K. Dick. This is even more evident when you consider that most of Aldiss' other works are more straightforward sci-fi. So the incredible potential of the premise is squandered beneath waves of faddish psychedelic writing style and an exasperating parade of made-up terminology (though I admit I like the adjective "vonnegutsy.") This type of writing has been done successfully, and can bend your mind to extreme proportions, but get it from the originators.

The actual plot elements, theme, and character development of this story could fit into a much more focused short story of twenty pages. This tale had infinitely more potential when it started. A real disappointment.

Wow, my brain hurts after reading this. I feel as if my whole civilization has fallen apart due to everyone tripping all the time. When they try to work the machines, men'll fall about laughing. The walls are melting, and I can't decide whether humanity is rotting alive in waves of indecision or poised on the verge of a breakthrough that will catapult us into a new, multi-valued way of perception. I think I just saw a dog wearing a tie. The knowledge that the plane is going to crash haunts me night and day, and I've developed a peculiar aversion to christmas cactus. You don't understand what I'm saying; you DO understand what I'm saying. Both are true, and neither. It's..it's like the SIXTIES: a tragic waste of brain cells AND a step into a new dimension. Aldiss and more...

After the Acidhead War, most of Earth's population is stumbling through an endless acid trip caused by nerve gas. Colin Charteris, in headlong flight from Serbia and the refugee camps where he was exposed, finds everyday objects like Metz cathedral ominous and portentous. A vision of the future catapults him into the company of more-advanced acid cases who call him a messiah for his concept of Man the Driver, resulting in his leading a mad exodus by car across a blasted Europe into a life of complete incomprehensibility. As birds build twisted nests, dogs wear neckties and the new animal slinks through the shrubbery, Charteris forges a new vision of reality, but drops out before the crucifixion. Inside every sane citizen is a madman waiting to run free....

The story follows the lives of a small group of human survivors of a nuclear accident. The "Accident", as it is referred to, has made male humans infertile. As the surviving population slowly dies off, the remaining groups of elderly people struggle to find hope in a bleak environment. One group, led by a man called Greybeard, have lived for many years in a small, isolated town along the river. They decide to venture down the river, to seek out the truth of rumors spread by travelers that children and fertile humans still survive in isolated pockets of the land. This is mostly a dark novel, with a few moving moments, and some beautifully descriptive writing. It is short on action.

It was a book of Tim White's fantasy art that led me to "Greybeard". An illustration of an abandoned town, weeds sprouting from cracks in the road, half-ruined buildings covered in ivy - a scene typical of the post-disaster genre. I was intrigued by the premise behind it.

The explosion of radioactive weapons in space has disrupted Earth's protective van Allen Belt, saturating the planet with massive doses of radiation. This has resulted in sickness, deformity and sterility for the human race. In the years following the "Accident" civilization has been in steady decline, as there will be no more future generations.

Algernon Timberlane (better known as Greybeard) was six years old at the time of the disaster. He has grown up in a world that has become increasingly primitive and quiet as people succumb to old age or cancers caused by the fallout. By the time Greybeard is in his mid fifties he is one of the youngest people left in the world. England has become a wilderness thinly populated by tribes of old people living with untreatable ailments. Savage animals, no longer afraid of man, roam the countryside in packs. Some people claim to have seen goblins lurking in the shadows. With each passing year people grow more frail and feeble-minded.

This is the first novel I've read by Brian Aldiss, the man who identified John Wyndham with the "Cosy Catastrophe". "Greybeard" is a novel John Wyndham would certainly have approved of. The catastrophe that shaped this decrepit future is, however, far from cosy. A book like "Greybeard" would be a good way to argue in favour of the need for human cloning. It could well save our species.

One of the best of the "end of the world" books, written by one the select members of the group known as the "world destroyers" back in the fifties and sixties. I began reading science fiction before I was even in junior high, and for me, this was one of the most memorable. It is still one of the best (I can count those I would consider 'the best' on one hand). The atmosphere that Aldiss creates for us begins on the first page, in the first paragraph, in the first sentence. This book will stay with me for the rest of my life. (Several years ago, I managed to find a first edition. Now, if I could just get it signed...)

In the act of creating a grand mosaic of the world the Beach Boys grew up in and shared, the full explanation of what befell them surfaces for once. Hooray! When I got this book from another Beach Boys bud, I never ever knew there had been big emotional victims in the Wilson family prior to Brian. Or that all sorts of other talents and interests had been inherited, too. Never before was the town of Hawthorne made sense of, either. Who knew what teen culture was like there in the 1950s? It was wild to get the day to day explanations. To see how Dennis and Carl, not to mention Brian, chose or got forced onto the roads in life they took. Surprises wait on each page. To ultimately feel so close to the family is a victory. Understanding So.California on up-close and personal terms is gratifying, also. This explicates sensitive people, a community and a microcosm in the detail it merits. It all makes sense.

With David Leaf's book out of print, I settled on this book to fill me in on what the C.D. liner notes have left out. And what a great time I had. White provides a lyrical description of the Wilson ancestry to provide a history which explains the temperament and personality that came to influence The Wilson boys and Mike Love. All of White's diversions into the cultural changes that happened around the Boys serves to add more sense of how the Boys fitted in to the bigger picture... and how they didn't. Stick with what seems to be at first a grandiose approach to telling the story. Sure, some stuff is glossed over, probably from lack of information. And sometimes it doesn't go far enough to explain the heart and broken heart of Brian. Carl is strangely in the background. But I finished this book feeling much closer to the heart and soul behind the heartiest and most soulful, most honest music to come out of the ugly world that is rock/pop industry. God only knows what we'd have if Brian was allowed to be himself and do what he wanted.

Wow. I'm embarassed to say that I thought I knew about the Beach Boys before I read "The Nearest Faraway Place". I was wrong. The depth of vision and analysis is staggering and told through the elegantly unobtrusive Tim White style I have come to expect from the book "Catch a Fire" and his columns in Billboard. It is designed to give you a full picture of the Southern California experience, dating back to the earliest generations of the Wilson family, but,if you want to skip the early chapters, you can go straight to the meat of the Beach Boys' history. Unbelievable unedited transcripts of the dialogue during recording sessions and insightful deconstruction of the cross-pollinization of inspiration happening in the Sixties. Which Beach Boys' song inspired which Beatle song, with help from which Byrd song, etc.; and all culled with interviews from the actual players and composers. Great stuff!