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120th out of 200 books
—
19 voters
Uncle Boris in the Yukon: and Other Shaggy Dog Stories
With the candor and wit that he's known for, Daniel Pinkwater shares heartfelt and often peculiar reflections on the dogs (and other assorted creatures) that have shaped his life and family traditions. Pinkwater begins with the tale of his colorful Uncle Boris, who sets off on a trek from Warsaw to the Yukon in search of gold. Along the way he strikes up a curious friendsh...more
Paperback, 220 pages
Published
October 14th 2002
by Mariner Books
(first published 2001)
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This book was recommended to me by Jessica Day George as we were talking about dogs, specifically Pippin, my favorite wind-up toy. I said I owned it but had never read it (this applies to about a third of the books I own) and she *insisted* that I read it IMMEDIATELY because I was clearly in need of something fun after finishing three intense books in three days.
She was totally right. I was in tears the whole time, because Pinkwater does this thing where he's just going along, telling a story, a...more
She was totally right. I was in tears the whole time, because Pinkwater does this thing where he's just going along, telling a story, a...more
May 15, 2012
Cheryl in CC NV
marked it as skimmed-reference-dnf
Just didn't engage me. Part of the problem was that I didn't realize, when I picked it up, that it is not a children's book. I mean, probably ages 11 and up can enjoy it - but it's better for adults who will understand assumptions, for example a basic understanding of the Jewish immigrant experience.
First 100 pages are very entertaining, a sort of autobiography of Pinkwater's childhood. The second half of the book goes in too much detail about every single dog he ever had. "Got this dog, then it died, then I got this other dog, then that one died, then I got another dog...." And so on and so forth. Plus he starts doing dialog for his dogs.... which is so ridiculous. As a dog owner and trainer, his obsession gets a little out of hand, which is great, but as a reader and even a dog lover, it...more
I really enjoyed this book. I have heard Daniel Pinkwater on NPR for years as a commentator, and I have seen his children's books at bookstores before, but this is my first foray into his adult work.
Gently told with a wry sense of humor, Mr. Pinkwater tells a family story of a love for dogs. It begins with Uncle Boris and allows us to walk through the author's own life with canine companions. I laughed more and more genuinely with this book than I have for quite a long time as a reader. I recog...more
Gently told with a wry sense of humor, Mr. Pinkwater tells a family story of a love for dogs. It begins with Uncle Boris and allows us to walk through the author's own life with canine companions. I laughed more and more genuinely with this book than I have for quite a long time as a reader. I recog...more
Having enjoyed Daniel Pinkwater's commentary on PNR, it was fun to read this book.
Page 79
"I had come to a certain understanding through my study of Zen Buddhism, and observation, particularly in connection with my activity as an artist. What I understood was this: it's possible for an educated person to deny the evidence of his own eyes and think he's seeing something else based on whatever prejudices he's been taught. We know what we're doing at all times -- and at almost all times, we obscure...more
Page 79
"I had come to a certain understanding through my study of Zen Buddhism, and observation, particularly in connection with my activity as an artist. What I understood was this: it's possible for an educated person to deny the evidence of his own eyes and think he's seeing something else based on whatever prejudices he's been taught. We know what we're doing at all times -- and at almost all times, we obscure...more
Pinkwater, author of children's books and a commentator on NPR's All Things Considered, delivers a witty rumination on his experiences with dogs. Uncle Boris, one of the many colorful and dysfunctional adults of Pinkwater's childhood, gave his parents a Pekingese named Bobby shortly before the author's birth. Uncle Boris made a living selling fake purebreds and assured Pinkwater's father that "a dog lik dis is all deh rage in deh best parts of Brooklyn." Bobby's sole redeeming feature was that h...more
If you've ever loved a dog, or if you've ever been unable to love a dog, or if you've ever loved Daniel Pinkwater, read this. Rereading this book of shaggy dog stories makes me laugh sometimes until I cry. I can't say that about many books. We learn about Pinkwater's Polish Jewish gangster ancestors, who specialized in "removals." We learn about his Husky. We learn about the last journey of the Hoboken ferry. We watch Pinkwater make joy out of what seems like a somewhat miserable childhood. We...more
I like Pinkwater. He's got this quirky sense of humor that makes me smile. Really, I think he's a little crazy, but now that I've read this book and a little about his childhood, I understand why so many of his characters are kids with a weird family. Write what you know, right?
I love the dog stories too. Really, there are a lot of fun stories in here. Some get a lot of play, like the one at the beginning about his Uncle Boris, the Polish gangster turned Yukon prospector. But the brief little p...more
I love the dog stories too. Really, there are a lot of fun stories in here. Some get a lot of play, like the one at the beginning about his Uncle Boris, the Polish gangster turned Yukon prospector. But the brief little p...more
I learned new things about the mannerisms of arctic breeds, but got a little annoyed with the reoccuring Yiddish dialect.
This is a fun book, especially if you are dog person. I laughed and cried while reading this book.
Hilarious. I love Daniel Pinkwater even more now than I did before.
A very funny memoir. Pinkwater's not kidding about the shaggy dogs.
I would have enjoyed this one even more if I'd heard it read out loud. It would be perfect for a long car trip
This is a book that I have always loved and will always go back to.
Nov 05, 2007
Jane Meyer
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
dog lovers
Shelves:
adultnon-fiction,
memoir
I just finished this memoir, which, well, I'm not sure exactly what I thought it would be like, but it turned out to be a collection of memoirs of the author's dogs... Because I love dogs, and especially arctic dogs, I enjoyed the tales, some of them bringing back so many memories of our beloved Zeke in Colorado. Anyway, if you are a dog-happy person, and love a good story, then this is great before-bed reading. Light and fun...
This book was a fun, short, entertaining diversion.
Great book, shaggy dogs included. My favorite bit: "C. had lived in a teepee and had partaken of many herbs and natural substances, and I am not obliged to accept her opinions."
I've just realized that over the years I've blogged about some books that I haven't marked over here.
This is a fun book, and sweet. Dog lovers should enjoy it.
This is a fun book, and sweet. Dog lovers should enjoy it.
May 14, 2008
Lynne
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Dog lovers especially
Recommended to Lynne by:
Found at the library.
A lot of fun - as much as people as it is about dog.
Lots of humor (it's always funny when the dogs are smarter than the people).
Lots of humor (it's always funny when the dogs are smarter than the people).
Funny stories about the dogs that Pinkwater and his wife have owned.
May 22, 2013
Karen
marked it as to-read
Mar 08, 2013
Daniela Hielc
marked it as to-read
Feb 24, 2013
Christian Bauman
marked it as to-read
Feb 18, 2013
Elaine Fultz
added it
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Daniel Manus Pinkwater is an author of mostly children's books and is an occasional commentator on National Public Radio. He attended Bard College. Well-known books include Lizard Music, The Snarkout Boys and the Avocado of Death, Fat Men from Space, Borgel, and the picture book The Big Orange Splot. Pinkwater has also illustrated many of his books in the past, although for more recent works that...more
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Sep 04, 2012 12:19pm