Chicago-area veterinarian Royal, whose clients include Oprah Winfrey, combines guide book and memoir in one volume, illustrating her advice to loving pet owners with anecdotes from her own past, both happy and tragic. Royal, whose combination of Western and Eastern practices is decidedly unconventional, preaches respect for the animals we’ve made companions. Shaped by their shared histories with humans and by their predomestication evolutionary pasts, pets require appropriate treatment that isn’t driven by human fantasies about animals; carnivores cannot live on vegetables and simians cannot live on bread alone. This 10-section guide covers a wide range of subjects, from diet and litter management to humanely and ethically managing pets’ inevitable mortality. While trained in conventional techniques, Royal also values Eastern medical traditions and provides owners with discussion of what works for her and why. Written in an entertaining manner and supplemented with a suggested reading list, Royal’s book is a useful guide for anxious pet owners. Agent: Peter Miller, PMA Literary & Film Management. (Sept.)
