Relates the author's relationship with a quiet, sensitive artist named Maria Wulf and his campaign to win over Maria's fiercely protective dog, Frieda, a Rottweiler-shepherd mix who resisted all efforts to tame her.

In the spring of 2011, Jon Katz received a phone call from an animal control officer who had found a neglected donkey on a farm in upstate New York. She hoped that Jon and his wife, Maria, would be willing to adopt him. The wrenching sight of Simon touched something very deep inside of Jon, and they took him in. The donkey's care was far from easy. And, as if in reciprocation, Simon began to reveal to Jon the true meaning of compassion.

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.

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...