September 15, 2009 7:30 PM - 7 attended
Soul of a Dog -- Author Jon Katz @ Powell's Books
Soul of a Dog: Reflections on the Spirits of the Animals of Bedlam Farm
by Jon Katz
Jon Katz has written several books about dogs and a few articles about his giant (and getting bigger all the time) steer, Elvis. He has worked with the Humane Society (HSUS) and shares his farm with several rescued animals. He'll be in Portland sharing stories from his latest book exploring the idea of animals' souls.
Sounds really interesting and fun too. Maybe get together earlier for some eats from Blossoming Lotus? Probably want to show up early as this author is sure to be popular especially in PDX.
I'm putting this up under the facilitator organizer "Veganlicious" so people can choose to get together rather than go alone for this event because I already committed to another event that's up but wanted people to have the opportunity to make something of it.
Publisher Comments:
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 and finds even more questions as he recounts the lives and stories of the residents of his celebrated Bedlam Farm: Rose, his beloved workaholic sheepdog who runs the farm, and an array of gentle donkeys, industrious chickens, docile sheep, obnoxious goats, and a murderous yet loving barn cat.
Do these remarkable creatures have consciences? Do they possess free will and reason? Do they have a sense of self, or an existence in the spirit world? Do they shape their own lives? Or are we projecting onto them traits we want and need them to have, allowing ourselves to be manipulated into trading food and shelter for what we see as unconditional love?
With his signature wisdom, humor, and clarity, Katz relates the stories of the animals he lives with and finds remarkable kinships at every turn. Whether it is 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. He marvels, too, at the distinctions between the species-our desire to change and our ability to edit and censor ourselves, and their capacity to live in the now. And yet the differences never keep Katz from fully enjoying, loving, and cherishing his unusual cast of Bedlam Farm characters. Katz's reflections on this eternal debate 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 emotional lives.
If no two dogs are alike, Katz says, neither is there a universal relationship with them. Such an observation helps to shine a light on the powerful interspecies connection that is redefining the human-animal bond in our time.
Synopsis:
The New York Times bestselling author of Dog Days ponders the question of whether animals have souls, through stories of his own dogs and the farm animals he lives with.
Do animals have souls? Do they affect ours? Do they make moral choices? Jon Katz believes that the soulfulness of animals lies in the things they do and the impact they have on our lives. In Soul of a Dog he explores the idea through stories of his border collie Rose, about whom Jon receives more inquiries and e-mail than any of his other animals. Not one for being petted or cuddled, Rose's integrity and devotion to running the farm are complete. When Jon is sick, Rose is the only one of the dogs who will not leave his side.
Here too are fascinating looks at his other dogs, Izzy, Lenore, and Pearl; his gentle, ethereal donkeys; a murderous barn cat named Mother; assorted chickens and sheep; some obnoxious goats, and a 2,500-pound doughnut-loving steer named Elvis. With the same wisdom, humor, and insight that prompted the Fort Worth Star-Telegram to call Jon Katz a Thoreau for modern times, Soul of a Dog illuminates our interspecies relationships with tales of these unforgettable animals.
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A former member
Essayem, what time were you thinking about meeting at BL?
Posted September 14, 2009 at 7:11 PM -
Essayem
Hi heather, I'm hoping for about 6... hope to be in the events room upstairs by 7pm as this author might be really busy.
Posted September 15, 2009 at 2:21 AM
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EssayemAssistant Organizer+1 guestInteresting talk with humorous insights and points to ponder (not all I agreed with but many I did). Blossoming Lotus was top notch too. YUM! Nice to get to know some more of the VLV group better. Great group tonight. Hope to see you all on Friday for fun and more yum! Definitely for VegFest on Saturday.
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A former member
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A former member
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if you rsvp'd with another group, choose whichever one you want to try and find to sit with. at events like these it is often hard to find others who have rsvp'd yes.
since this is at the burnside location, you all could meet 15 minutes prior by the outside bike racks on burnside. just an idea.