I had recommendations from both Riding Reader and Retired Reader within six hours of each other for The Speckled Beauty: a Dog and His People, by Richard Bragg. Naturally I had to check it out! It was a good read, with vivid descriptions of weather, bugs, snakes, swamps, all of which made me very glad (and not for the first time) I don't live in the south! This is a memoir of a dog the author has ... a foundling, if you will, one that showed up one day, and stayed. Sort of! Speck (it took a while to name him) would come and go as he pleased. He'd hunt and chase and take on anything from the donkeys and mule to cats, snakes, other stray dogs. He had the battle scars (and visits to the vet) to prove it, too! He'd eat and/or roll in just about anything, takes exception to being brushed, bathed or clipped (think matted hair), but still endeared himself to the author and his family. I liked the feeling of acceptance and companionship to a dog that caused a lot of trouble. :-)

Reading Hermit With Dog