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Izzy & Lenore: Two Dogs, an Unexpected Journey, and Me | 
 enlarge | Author: Jon Katz
Publisher: Villard
Category: Book
List Price: $24.00
Buy New: $13.66
You Save: $10.34 (43%)
New (37) Used (15) from $12.50
Rating:  18 reviews
Sales Rank: 13572
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.9
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.6 x 1.1
ISBN: 1400066301
Dewey Decimal Number: 636.73740929
EAN: 9781400066308
ASIN: 1400066301
Publication Date: September 23, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
In his previous books, New York Times bestselling author Jon Katz introduced us to the delightful menagerie at Bedlam Farm, including Izzy, the unforgettable border collie rescue. Now, in Izzy & Lenore, Katz delves deeper into his connection with the beautiful, once-abandoned dog, learning yet again about the unexpected places animals can take us. 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 in upstate New York, Katz and Izzy bring comfort and canine companionship to people who most need it. An eighty-year-old Alzheimer’s patient smiles for the first time in months when she feels Izzy’s soft fur. A retired logger joyfully remembers his own beloved dog when he sees Izzy. As Izzy bonds with patients and Katz focuses on their families, the author begins to come to terms with his own life, discovering dark realities he has never confronted. Meanwhile, Lenore–quickly dubbed the Hound of Love–arrives at Bedlam. Her genial personality and boundless capacity for affection steer Katz out of the shadows, rekindle his love of working with dogs, and restore his connection to the farm and the animals and people around him.
Humorous and deeply moving, Izzy & Lenore is a story of a man confronting his past, embracing the blessings of his current life, and rediscovering the meaning of friendship, family, and faith. Katz shares an uplifting tale of love, compassion, and the rich and complex relationships between dogs and their humans.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...
A Very Moving Story That Rings True!! December 31, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
My dog Zeus, a Curly Coated Retriever worked as a therapy dog for 6 years, at both a residential hospice and a long term nursing home, bringing love and joy to those who had little to look forward to. I was his driver, the one on the other end of the leash. It was Zeus the patients waited to see, shared their secrets with, whose black curls they cried into, who licked their tears away, and who offered his unconditional love.
Reading this book, I was transported back to that time. I laughed. I cried, and continually nodded remembering our interactions with patients, their families and staff. Like Izzy, Zeus loved all the attention, and was a gentle, intuitive healing presence. And like Jon, I too grew spiritually, and had parts of myself healed I didn't even know were broken.
The writing is wonderful and personal, and drew me in from the start.
I didn't want the book to end. I hope Jon and Izzy and Lenore continue to do hospice work for a long time to come.
Read it...you won't be disappointed.
Perfect Item December 16, 2008
This was purchased as present. It is just exactly what I wanted, arrived
in perfect condition with fast shipping. Thank you, am very pleased, would buy from this seller again.
A jewel --- hope is the point word to describe this delightful story December 15, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
According to Jon Katz, "This book is about small things, like getting a new dog that changes your outlook. And about big things, like having a dog lead you places you never imagined going."
Katz continues a remarkable series of books about his animals, the ones living on Bedlam Farm, in IZZY & LENORE. Life has settled into a routine on the farm, but Katz is a sucker for new challenges. He has heard tales of a beautiful purebred border collie, abandoned on a small farm and relegated to running beside fences every day. His coat filthy, tangled with burrs, and his fur mottled with his own waste, the dog has run the fence line for three years. Watching the fur ball whiz past him, Katz feels the impact of an important happening. This animal is special.
The plan is simple. Nurture the dog, feed him and ready him to be placed in a caring home. But Katz cannot restrain himself from becoming emotionally involved with Izzy. Tough to train and nearly impossible to tame, Izzy seems born with a mission. He responds to loving contact with a human and becomes "Jon's dog." Katz is keenly aware that Izzy will lead him to places he's never dreamed of going.
Long beset with periods of depression, Katz discovers Izzy's ability to lift his dark moods, a constant and consistent companion beside him. When a nearby neighbor requests that Izzy visit her dying mother, Katz enters a realm of service he had not visualized was possible --- a social but compassionate purpose. The simple act of spending time with a dying woman to brighten her day stimulates Katz. Izzy's gift is soon opened to others who face death, as he and his owner become hospice volunteers.
The chapters that follow chronicle Izzy's remarkable ability to minister to those in terrible physical circumstances. Katz travels outside himself, guided by Izzy, to aid these families, relieving his own depression. Engaging photographs throughout the book endear the reader to the renegade orphan turned healer.
But IZZY & LENORE is a story about two dogs, the second being Lenore, the black lab puppy Katz described as "...a creature of light and laughter. Lenore could come...in the midst of a terrible time, and make me smile..." Alert, playful and curious, Lenore follows Katz like a black shadow, a loving companion woven into his daily routines. Not a good hospice candidate, Lenore nevertheless finds merit by simply being herself. Katz allows her to emerge into a sense of worth unlike Izzy's, but with loving character. Perhaps she, too, will develop the qualities desired for hospice work.
Topping more than 15 previous books, most of which describe life on Bedlam Farm, IZZY & LENORE is Katz's jewel. Hope is the point word to describe this delightful story. The two dogs work in tandem, each in their own manner, to bring their owner new direction and peace. Katz emerges from his physical and emotional troubles with renewed vigor. His loving characterizations of both pets reveal the depth with which both have entered his life.
--- Reviewed by Judy Gigstad
 I loved this book December 12, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The bond between human and animal, and the amazing account of Izzy's ability to adapt to each situation, were clearly and lovingly illustrated in this book. The case studies of the individual patients were sensitive and genuine, and often brought tears to my eyes. Mr Katz was also very straightforward about his own problems, and that in itself could be helpful to some of his readers. I adore Border Collies, have owned (or been owned by) a total of 4 so far over the last 30 years, and Izzy was such a great example of the breed, and what can be done with a sensitive, intelligent dog. This was a lovely, touching book, and I was sorry when I got to the last page.
The best ever! December 1, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Jon Katz is one of my favorite authors. I read everything he writes and am always watching for a new book to be written. This latest book "Izzy and Lenore" is the best yet. I love how Jon shares his search for meaning and how he intergrated others into that search. As a medical social worker I was quickly drawn to his interest in working w/ the elderly and w/hospice pts and families. I started this book while on vacation and simply couldn't put it down. ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL
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