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Title details for Saving Simon by Jon Katz - Available

Saving Simon

How a Rescue Donkey Taught Me the Meaning of Compassion

by Jon Katz
Tom Stechschulte
Audiobook
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1 of 1 copy available
When Jon Katz got a call from an animal control officer about Simon, a neglected donkey who had been found on a failing farm in upstate New York, he wasn't expecting to add another animal to his already full life. But when he made the trek out to meet him, he couldn't help falling in love with the skinny, mangy donkey who had already suffered so much, and he ended up taking him into his home. It was Simon who listened in the fields as Jon read to him and discussed philosophy. And it was Simon who forced Jon to confront the most difficult parts of life. And ultimately, it was Simon who brought Jon to a new understanding about mercy and compassion. In this heartwarming and heartrending memoir, Jon Katz plumbs the depths of the human-animal bond with his trademark grace, strength and skill. Jon Katz has written twenty-six books, including works of nonfiction, novels, short stories, and books for children. He has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Slate, Rolling Stone, and the AKC Gazette, and has worked for CBS News, The Boston Globe, The Washington Post, and The Philadelphia Inquirer; he is also a photographer. He lives on Bedlam Farm, in upstate New York, with his wife, the artist Maria Wulf, and their dogs, donkeys, barn cats, sheep, and chickens.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    October 7, 2014

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781490625614
      • File size: 185209 KB
      • Duration: 06:25:51

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Writer Jon Katz considers the nature of human compassion as he tells how he took in a donkey starved by its previous owner--the worst case of animal neglect the local humane officer had ever seen. His surprise at the way Simon screams in pain gives way to his admiration for the fighting spirit of the donkey. Narrator Tom Stechschulte's folksy style captures the affection Katz has for Simon's trusting nature and gentleness. Listeners hear these traits echoed in the friendship between a border collie and a blind pony, a story as fascinating as Simon's. Stechschulte's narration brings listeners into the world of Katz's upstate New York farm. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      March 1, 2015

      In 2011, journalist Katz was asked to shelter a very sick donkey rescued from a farm in New York. With a farmstead already housing dogs, chickens, sheep, and a couple of donkeys, he opened his heart to an animal so sick that he required almost constant care. Katz (The Dogs of Bedlam Farm) chronicles his experiences nursing the donkey he named Simon back to health and integrating him into his farm. Simon anecdotes are seamlessly interspersed with donkey lore and insights into the roles of domestic animals in agrarian life. Tom Stechshulte narrates in such a natural and expressive style that listening to this memoir is like taking a walk with Simon himself. VERDICT This sweet memoir will be of interest to animal lovers, fans of the author, and those interested in small-scale agriculture.--Janet Martin, Southern Pines P.L., NC

      Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Publisher's Weekly

      September 29, 2014
      New York Times bestselling author Katz (The Second Chance Dog) takes on a shockingly malnourished and mistreated equine in this uplifting and insightful memoir. Neglected and left all but dead by a farmer who fell on hard times, Simon the donkey had a resilient spirit that was almost immediately apparent to animal patrol officers when they rescued rescued him and then called upon Katz, who owns a farm in upstate New York, to adopt this wounded soul. Much to his surprise, Katz recognized his own battered spirit in Simon and quickly develops an affinity for the annimal: "I ⦠connected to experience of aloneness and confusion, of fear and discomfort. I had spent a lot of my life that way." Recounting the quiet hours spent tending to the donkey's damaged charge, Katz contemplates the meaning of compassion and why he chooses to bestow it upon other animals, humans, and even the farmer who had abandoned Simon to his unfathomably cruel fate. Katz's account of this emotionally wrought journey is rooted in self-awareness; by caring for Simon, Katz comes to terms with other relationships in his life including a falling out with his now deceased mother. Katz's fans and animal lovers of all kinds will no doubt be delighted by Simon's heartwarming story. 4 b&w photos. Agent: Richard Abate, 3 Arts Entertainment.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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