Saving Simon: How a Rescue Donkey Taught Me the Meaning of Compassion

Description

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.

Praise for Saving Simon "Heartwarming . . . a touching tale."-USA Today "Highly recommended . . . an enjoyable and thoughtful work."-Library Journal (starred review) "[Saving Simon] handles the emotional highs and lows of living with animals with empathy and thoughtfulness, forcing readers to re-examine their own meanings of compassion and mercy."-Kirkus Reviews "The message of this true story will linger with the reader long after the book has been placed on the shelf."-Bookreporter "[An] uplifting and insightful memoir . . . [Jon] Katz's fans and animal lovers of all kinds will no doubt be delighted by Simon's heartwarming story."-Publishers Weekly Praise for Jon Katz "With wisdom and grace, Katz unlocks the canine soul and the complicated wonders that lie within and offers powerful insights to anyone who has ever struggled with, and loved, a troubled animal."-John Grogan, author of Marley & Me "Katz's world-of animals and humans and their combined generosity of spirit-is a place you're glad you've been."-The Boston Globe "From Toto to Marley, our canine friends are a sure bet in the literary biz. But no one seems to speak their language like Jon Katz."-San Antonio Express-News "Katz proves himself a Thoreau for modern times as he ponders the relationships between man and animals, humanity and nature."-Fort Worth Star-Telegram "I toss a lifetime award of three liver snaps to Jon Katz."-Maureen Corrigan, National Public Radio's Fresh Air