Good Dog: True Stories of Love, Loss, and Loyalty

Editor in chief of Garden & Gun DiBenedetto shepherds this heartwarming collection of over 50 essays culled from the magazine column that celebrates canines in all their glory. Given the Garden & Gun's editorial focus, it's expected that there are so many outdoorsmen extolling the virtues of their hunting dogs. The collection is mostly light and reverential but the selection verges on redundancy. Luckily, essays such as Roy Blount's charming piece on why he shouldn't have a dog, Bronwen Dickey's impassioned defense of the much-maligned pit bull, and Beth Macy's account of kidnapping her neighbor's dog, Scooter, provide much-needed variety. Best consumed in small doses, this lighthearted read will even please the diehard cat-lovers among us. (Nov.)