Chew on this. As humans, we have a deep need to believe . . . a need to relate to something greater and more ideal than ourselves. Perhaps that’s why so many millions believe in Dog. Man’s devotion to Dog has come to rival the great -isms and -ologies of the world. This thing has gone way beyond a hobby. We may not literally worship dogs, but we come pawfully close. This rabid reverence for Rover has a name: Dogtology. Dogtology is for the dog lover who has bailed on a date because they didn’t want Twinkles to be left home alone. It is for the human whose dog owns a more festive holiday wardrobe than they do, whose pups dine on free-range bison burgers while they live off ramen, or whose smartphones have more photos of their dog than of the humans in their family. In this sacred dogtrine, the case is made that Dogtology has become a bone-a-fide belief system on par with the world’s great philosophies and religions.

An engaging and sometimes humorous book about the art of listening. The author suggests that to improve the effectiveness of our listening and communication skills, we should model our behaviour after dogs, the masters of communication.

As humans, we have a deep need to believe, a need to relate to something greater and more ideal than ourselves. We may not literally worship dogs, but we come awfully close. This book is for the human whose dog owns a more festive holiday wardrobe than they do; whose pups dine on free-range bison burgers while they live off ramen; or whose smartphones have more photos of their dog than of the humans in their family.

Does your cat own you? What has caused us to enthrone cats as the most popular pet on the planet? Why do we devote so much of our time and income to grooming, feeding, coddling, photographing, praising, providing laps for, and “entertaining” our cats? If an anthropologist from outer space were to study our civilization objectively, would she not conclude that our devotion to Cat amounted to nothing less than a full-blown religion? Would she be wrong? Catakism, the belief system, is rooted in a bold premise: namely, that felines are humanity’s biological and spiritual masters. By allowing Man to handle all of Her low-level needs, Cat is free to do the higher-level spiritual work that Man has no time for, such as meditating seventeen hours a day, teleporting into locked rooms and cabinets, communing with disembodied spirits, and reeducating humanity on the true purpose of boxes, bags, and keyboards.

Gabriel Garcia Marquez in Retrospect gathers fifteen essays by noted scholars in the fields of Latin American literature, politics, and theater. The volume offers broad overviews of the Colombian author’s total body of work, along with closer looks at some of his acknowledged masterpieces. The Nobel laureate’s cultural contexts and influences, his variety of themes, and his formidable legacy (Hispanic, U.S., world-wide) all come up for consideration. New readings of One Hundred Years of Solitude are further complemented by fresh, stimulating, highly detailed examinations of his later novels (Chronicle of a Death Foretold, The General in His Labyrinth, Of Love and Other Demons) and stories (Strange Pilgrims). Further attention is focused on “Gabo’s” labors as journalist and as memoirist (Living to Tell the Tale), and to his sometime relationships with the cinema and the stage. Reactions to his enormous stature on the part of younger writers, including recent signs of backlash, are also given thoughtful scrutiny. Feminist and ecocritical interpretations, plus lively discussions of Gabo’s artful use of humor, character’s names, and even cuisine, are to be found here as well. In the wake of García Márquez’s passing away in 2014, this collection of essays serves as a fitting tribute to one of the world’s greatest literary figures of the twentieth century.

Does your cat own you? What has caused us to enthrone cats as the most popular pet on the planet? Why do we devote so much of our time and income to grooming, feeding, coddling, photographing, praising, providing laps for, and “entertaining” our cats? If an anthropologist from outer space were to study our civilization objectively, would she not conclude that our devotion to Cat amounted to nothing less than a full-blown religion? Would she be wrong? Catakism, the belief system, is rooted in a bold premise: namely, that felines are humanity’s biological and spiritual masters. By allowing Man to handle all of Her low-level needs, Cat is free to do the higher-level spiritual work that Man has no time for, such as meditating seventeen hours a day, teleporting into locked rooms and cabinets, communing with disembodied spirits, and reeducating humanity on the true purpose of boxes, bags, and keyboards.

Have you ever talked to a dog. Not just the "Who's a good boy? Spike's a good boy" stuff, but really talked? About your struggles, your heartaches, your joys—baring your soul to a canine friend? If you have, chances are it made you feel free to say whatever you wanted, without the burden of justifying your position, sounding witty, or telling an entertaining story. Free to take your time, without fear of judgment or recrimination. Even if you can't have a real discussion, when compared to conversations with humans you'd probably admit that dogs are the better communicators—paws down. Why? Because even though they don't speak our language, they really listen. It's time to take a fresh look at listening and we need go no further than the furry best friend at our feet. Dogs don't interrupt us, finish our sentences, offer advice, try to top our stories, or text us instead of talking to us. Dogs pay extremely close attention to us; they study our facial expressions, our body language, our eye movements, and our voice patterns. Dogs do not just listen with their ears, they listen with their entire being. True listening can enhance every relationship in one's life, and can transform broken associations and inject new life into business and social interactions. It is the magic ingredient that forges real connections with others. People want good listeners in their inner circle, they want do business with them, they trust them and will share critical information with them. That means the person who masters this skill has enormous advantages, both in business and in his or her personal life. By listening like a dog, readers will find renewed connection and a deeper sense of compassion, companionship and understanding with the people in their lives.