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Merle's Door: Lessons from a Freethinking Dog
by
Ted Kerasote
While on a camping trip, Ted Kerasote met a dog-- a Labrador mix-- who was living on his own in the wild. They became attached to each other, and Kerasote decided to name the dog Merle and bring him home. There, he realized that Merle' s native intelligence would be diminished by living exclusively in the human world. He put a dog door in his house so Merle could live both...more
Hardcover - Large Print, Large Print, 647 pages
Published
November 14th 2007
by Thorndike Press
(first published January 1st 2007)
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Okay, I was suckered in by the cute dog picture on the cover. But I found myself really caring about the players in this extraordinary human-dog relationship. Granted, Merle had such a great life and so much freedom because he lived in a dog-friendly town on the edge of Grand Tetons NP. And he got to do great dog stuff like hunt elk and ski snow-covered slopes. Most dogs don't have those opportunities.
The book dragged when author Kerasote waxed on about scientific research into why ...more
The book dragged when author Kerasote waxed on about scientific research into why ...more
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MARVELOUS!</> I give this book 5 stars without a second thought! You cry, you chuckle, you laugh out loud, you read again sections of other dog books mentioned in the text that one has^previously read, you search Wikipedia concerning subjects that the text brings to your attention and about which you realize you really have to know more. This book has everything for anyone that truly loves their dog.
OK I have to say one thing and I would really like to discuss this with others....more
OK I have to say one thing and I would really like to discuss this with others....more
Christen
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Animal Lovers
Recommended to Christen by:
Colleen E.
***After meeting the author (5/12/08) the other night and hearing him read passages from the book, I've decided I want to read the book again. What a neat dog!***
I LOVED this book. I still can't figure out who the luckiest character in the book is: the dog or the owner. Ted was so lucky to find such a wonderful dog and Merle was lucky to have such a neat owner who lived in such a neat place, that allowed him to be a free dog! I hate always crying at the end of dog books, but I h...more
I LOVED this book. I still can't figure out who the luckiest character in the book is: the dog or the owner. Ted was so lucky to find such a wonderful dog and Merle was lucky to have such a neat owner who lived in such a neat place, that allowed him to be a free dog! I hate always crying at the end of dog books, but I h...more
I didn't like the tone of this book. There's a smugness about the author's supposed ability to communicate with dogs. The author generally anthropomorphizes his dog and assigns entire conversations to the dog. In my mind, this deeply detracts from the credibility of the science he reports because there is a great deal of crummy research by people who want to believe in various mystical animal attributes. I am not confident that he is rigorous enough to distinguish the wishful results from the r...more
Donna
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
dog lovers, and people sho enjoy the outdoors
Recommended to Donna by:
Reggie
This is a humurous, heartfelt book about a wonderful dog named Merle. Although there were sections which became too technical regarding the evolution of the dog, it is easy to scan over those pages and get back to the beautifully written story. If you love dogs, you need to read this book. It covers Merle's entire life with Ted, and yes, it includes his last day. Get the tissues out! If you don't cry, you were absent the day they passed out hearts. If you don't have a dog, you will want to go ge...more
I felt like I shouldn't have wasted my time on this book. It is the antithesis of "Marley and Me", the story of a much loved but terrible dog. This dog is too good to be true. The narrator/owner supplies the dog's side of the conversation (something I do all the time) but without any sense of irony. He believes it's true!
It takes a lot for me to think a story about a wonderful dog is over the top. This one is. That doesn't mean I wouldn't love to have a dog like Merle...more
It takes a lot for me to think a story about a wonderful dog is over the top. This one is. That doesn't mean I wouldn't love to have a dog like Merle...more
If you loved Marley & Me you will LOVE Merle's Door. The story follows the life and adventures of the "freethinking" Merle from the time he adopted his human, Ted, until his death 14 years later. Splendidly written this story made me cry. Anyone who loves dogs and the outdoors will enjoy this book. I now look at my own dogs in a different way.
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Probably the very best book I've read in a long time. It is not just a dog book, but a story about imperfect love, which makes it a best seller instead of just a cute dog story. It lived with me for weeks after I finished it, and I finally wrote the author, and he wrote back, twice. There are sort of scientific insets during the tale which I did not think added to the story but the rest was a really good read. On the human relationship level, people often jump into close human relationships with...more
As I was nearing the end of this book the other day in the lunch room at work, I had to stop reading because it was about to bring me to tears. This book is similar to "Marley and Me" in that they're both memoirs of the writer and his experience with his dog. But the difference in this book is that Ted Kerasote is a much more expressive and descriptive writer. And unlike Marley's story which is the urban adventure of a mischievous dog and his family, Merle's story is that of the deep f...more
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I'm a dog person- so you've got to take that into account- but I really enjoyed this book. Like Ted, I take my dog just about everywhere I go, and I'm constantly sorting out how to let him live life to the fullest. Not an easy task since he lives in a small apartment with his grad. student food guy.
Some of the dog psychology sections were more skimworthy than others, but Kerasote's research adds a lot to his story. If you're interested in learning about how to give your dog a more u...more
Some of the dog psychology sections were more skimworthy than others, but Kerasote's research adds a lot to his story. If you're interested in learning about how to give your dog a more u...more
I'm not quite halfway through this book, but it is positively gripping and right up my alley. Its outdoor setting is reminiscent of good Jim Kjelgaard novels (Big Red, Haunt Fox, etc.) and, on top of that, this author has done his research. Throughout the novel, Kerasote has cited scientific and archaeological research on dog origins and psychology. Having done my honors thesis on this topic, I can vouch that his citations are both accurate and fascinating.
Of course, it might be the...more
Of course, it might be the...more
Kurtbg
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Friends of Animals, Dog Lovers, Amateur Zoologists
This dog book follows the standard format for most authors hommage to a special dog they have known. The book recounts personal experiences about hid dog, Merle, intertwined with what he learned and the latest information among dogs.
The big difference in this book is the quality of dog the author was fortunate to have in his life. Merle was an individuated working dog.
Individuated, what does that mean? It means he wasn't a pet dog bought to be a possession. Merle was engaged fu...more
The big difference in this book is the quality of dog the author was fortunate to have in his life. Merle was an individuated working dog.
Individuated, what does that mean? It means he wasn't a pet dog bought to be a possession. Merle was engaged fu...more
Ted Kerasote begins his book about his dog Merle by describing what Merle must have sensed when the dog approached Ted’s river-running group. A canine reads olfactory signatures, in this case, the odors of sweat, pizza, wild game, and the outdoor life these people led. Merle must have liked the way Ted smelled, because he stuck with him through the river trip, and afterward, for a 14 year life together.
Throughout the book, Ted interprets Merle’s thoughts and feelings in a way that is tota...more
Throughout the book, Ted interprets Merle’s thoughts and feelings in a way that is tota...more
I listened to this book and felt like I was listening to a fireside story. This is the epitome of the human-animal bond. These clients are the reasons we veterinarians work through lunch, come early, stay late miss family engagements. I put off reading stories where I know it will end with the death of a companion, but finally couldn't walk by it anymore. Kerasote tells a beautiful story and the anthropomorphizing about what Merle is thinking makes this story. I think if you don't work with ...more
A Labrador mix, Merle first appeared while the author was on a camping trip. Kerasote, an award-winning nature writer, decided to take his canine friend home to rural Wyoming. This chronicle of their 13 years together is interspersed w/ studies by animal behaviorists that strengthened Kerasote's desire to see Merle as a responsible individual rather than a submissive pet. Merle set his own eating schedule (though not without early mishap), refused to hunt birds (although not elks) &, according t...more
Borrowed audiobook from Commerce Public Library.
I listened to the book on CD and it really blew me away. This is one of the best books about the love between humans and animals that I have ever read. I love animals and am deeply affected by their relationships with me. I rescue dogs and have quite a few dogs and cats, and other animals, of my own. They are just like us in their emotions and personalities and it is so easy to become completely attached. This book is wonderful and painful at...more
I listened to the book on CD and it really blew me away. This is one of the best books about the love between humans and animals that I have ever read. I love animals and am deeply affected by their relationships with me. I rescue dogs and have quite a few dogs and cats, and other animals, of my own. They are just like us in their emotions and personalities and it is so easy to become completely attached. This book is wonderful and painful at...more
I have to agree with the reviewer who noted the smug tone of the book. I would go further and say it reminds me of those arrogant folk singers of the 60's. Haughty for no good reason. An offensive tone runs through this.
But if you can overlook the tone, there are interesting concepts. Unless you live in the wilderness with a large dog, you'll never be able to try it yourself, in spite of all the interjected dog behavior research citations. Curiously, Mr. Kerasote is silent about t...more
But if you can overlook the tone, there are interesting concepts. Unless you live in the wilderness with a large dog, you'll never be able to try it yourself, in spite of all the interjected dog behavior research citations. Curiously, Mr. Kerasote is silent about t...more
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A couple of weeks ago my dad sent this book to me in the mail. A day or two before, he had recommended it, and I half-heartedly said I would look for it, so he saved me the trouble by shipping it to me. Quite frankly, I'm not really big on dog books, and would probably never have read it if it hadn't been staring me in the face for several weeks reminding me that Dad would want to talk about it.
I really should listen to my dad more. This was an enchanting book. Kerasote weaves in the...more
I really should listen to my dad more. This was an enchanting book. Kerasote weaves in the...more
This is a wonderful book... much more than just another "aw, isn't that cute" bunch of anecdotes. (Though those can be fun, too!) The author clearly loves the outdoors, and he clearly loves animals. He shares with the reader his insights about raising the stray dog who adopted him in the wilderness of Utah.
Upon returning to his home on the edge of the wilderness in Wyoming, he explores the learning process he and Merle shared as they each discover how to make life in su...more
Upon returning to his home on the edge of the wilderness in Wyoming, he explores the learning process he and Merle shared as they each discover how to make life in su...more
I love dogs, and this book absolutely touched my heart. It is the story of Merle, a yellow lab dog who is living on his own in the wild when he meets Ted who is on a raft trip on the San Juan River with his friends. Merle decides to trust Ted (maybe) and Ted decides that he needs a dog (maybe) and their relationship evolves from there. I had so many smile-memory moments of the interactions I have had with our dogs through their lives. Ted Kerasote (author and companion to Merle) weaves inform...more
So far this is so interesting. About a dog, a stray that happened into the author's life and how they grew to be such a great team. He also adds a lot of information about how dogs became domesticated, research studies on communiating with dogs. Really interesting.
Okay, I finished it. This guy lives very close to nature in Wyoming near the Teton National Forest, or maybe even inside it. His dog had the best life any dog could ever hope for, and they developed an amazing relati...more
Okay, I finished it. This guy lives very close to nature in Wyoming near the Teton National Forest, or maybe even inside it. His dog had the best life any dog could ever hope for, and they developed an amazing relati...more
Merle's Door is one of my favorite books I have read recently about dogs.
Merle's Door is unique, witty, and charming, and well-written. Readers really get to know Merle and get a sense of his personality and great intelligence.
Merle's Door is also a very thoughtfully written and philosophical book about dogs.
Merle has his own door and comes and goes as he pleases. He accompanies his owner on many adventures, hiking, skiing, hunting, and exploring. He encounters much wildlife i...more
Merle's Door is unique, witty, and charming, and well-written. Readers really get to know Merle and get a sense of his personality and great intelligence.
Merle's Door is also a very thoughtfully written and philosophical book about dogs.
Merle has his own door and comes and goes as he pleases. He accompanies his owner on many adventures, hiking, skiing, hunting, and exploring. He encounters much wildlife i...more
Oh my goodness! I will never meet this dog, yet I adore him. As I read I found myself so excited for the "free" life he led living with his human in Jackson Hole, WY, and then horribly sad when he passed away after a long, full doggy life. Seriously, I was sobbing as I read of his peaceful passing while in the arms of his human. I don't use the term "owner" because Ted Kerasote was very clear in his thoughts on how to raise Merle. He made sure he ate, had a place to slee...more
Yowza. I love my dog, but I also understand the reason for a leash (because I LOVE MY DOG). And there's a little too much canine closeness here, even for me. Altho I will admit, I've attempted to sniff along with my best furry friend into the wind once or twice - some of Teds adventures with Merle are a little too 'grape-nuts' for me. Maybe I need to live in the mountains with the thin air to fully understand . . .
I loved this book! And I have to admit that I cried all the way through the last chapter. I know, I'm a pushover!
Ted Kerasote does an excellent job exploring the relationship between humans and animals, especially dogs. While sharing the story of Merle, a stray dog who becomes Ted's best friend, he also includes research on animal behavior to illustrate his points. The book is very insightful and is a must read, especially for animal lovers.
Ted Kerasote does an excellent job exploring the relationship between humans and animals, especially dogs. While sharing the story of Merle, a stray dog who becomes Ted's best friend, he also includes research on animal behavior to illustrate his points. The book is very insightful and is a must read, especially for animal lovers.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A touching story for anyone espcially with a dog of their own. | 6 | 30 | Feb 02, 2012 09:11am | |
| ..if you love dogs, read this. | 1 | 21 | Aug 12, 2008 10:28pm |
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Ted Kerasote's writing has spanned the globe and appeared in dozens of periodicals and anthologies, including Audubon, National Geographic Traveler, Outside, Salon, and The New York Times. He is also the author and editor of six books, one of which, Out There: In the Wild in a Wired Age, won the National Outdoor Book Award. He lives in Wyoming.
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“For us hunting wasn’t a sport. It was a way to be intimate with nature, that intimacy providing us with wild unprocessed food free from pesticides and hormones and with the bonus of having been produced without the addition of great quantities of fossil fuel. In addition, hunting provided us with an ever scarcer relationship in a world of cities, factory farms, and agribusiness, direct responsibility for taking the lives that sustained us. Lives that even vegans indirectly take as the growing and harvesting of organic produce kills deer, birds, snakes, rodents, and insects. We lived close to the animals we ate. We knew their habits and that knowledge deepened our thanks to them and the land that made them.”
—
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