Lauren's Story: An American Dog in Paris
Kay's deep love for Lauren includes the necessary ingredients of joy and humor. There are moments throughout the book, especially toward the end when Lauren begins to fall ill, that you, the reader, will hold your breath for too long until the crisis is resolved. And, equally, there are moments of such hilarity, that you will stop breathing simply because you are laughing so hard. Lauren's Story literally has it all: heartbreak, despair, courage, joy and always, love. --Rita M. Reynolds, La Joie, 2002Kay Pfaltz's account of the years spent with her beagle Lauren will enchant anyone whose life has been changed by a special dog. Pfaltz sets out to write about 'the meaning of unconditional love,' and her story is at once a reflection on this topic and a personal memoir. Lauren's Story is an essay on happiness, both human and canine. [It] is a tribute to life, and an invitation to cherish every moment of it. --Susan H. Linden, Bark Magazine, 2002Lauren, a young, starving beagle, matures into a cosmopolitan dog that takes on Paris from its cafes and cinemas to its gardens and salons. She is also the center of a small group of well-defined, fully individuated characters. The descriptive passages are so detailed and evocative of scene, that at times it seems as if the Parisian setting becomes a character itself. Readers who love art, music, literature, history and obviously animals will enjoy vicariously traveling with Pfaltz and Lauren. Their excursions are full of historic places and notable people, engaging and stimulating to readers Unconditional love is the recurring theme of this book, whether it is between narrator and dog or, more broadly, dog and humanity. Reflective passages are well integrated into episodes of romance, travel, and health crises; further, they are inspirational and pertinent to the theme. Through poignant, the book is not sad, but heartening. --Sally D. Ketchum, Foreword Magazine, 2002--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.