Has Fido taken to eating your favorite shoes? Does he leave doggy do-do at the foot of your bed? Maybe she absolutely refuses to stop barking at the delivery truck? Maybe the two of you have some communication issues. It might help if you take some time to find out what it's like on "The Other End of the Leash," a new book by Patricia McConnell, Ph.D., Wisconsin native and foremost authority on doggy behavior.
McConnell shares her knowledge of our four-legged friends as a certified applied animal behaviorist, adjunct assistant professor of zoology at UW-Madison, and owner of Dog's Best Friend Ltd., a company specializing in canine behavioral problems. She's also the host of the nationally syndicated radio program, "Calling All Pets."
"Who dogs are and how they behave are partly defined by who we are and how we behave," says McConnell. Which is why, she says, it makes sense to know how Fido perceives our movements and behavior when we're around him. In doggy terms, we must learn to speak in their language.
McConnell's book offers everything from anecdotes, scientific information, and important and innovative bits of knowledge for every dog owner. She'll visit Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop in Mequon on Wed., May 21 at 7 p.m. to speak about the book and sign copies. Schwartz Bookshop is located at 10976 N. Port Washington Rd. For more information call the shop at (262) 241-6220.
Here's a list of some other notable authors visiting the area soon:
Milwaukee native and math professor at Temple University, John Allen Paulos, has been causing quite a stir with his new novel, "A Mathematician Plays the Stock Market." Paulos goes against the financial grain by explaining why "insider-trading" isn't completely bad, why "data-mining" leads to self-fulfilling beliefs, why the "Elliot Wave Theory" is simply incorrect, and why you might want rethink Warren Buffet's "fundamental analysis. If you'd like to hear more about what Paulos has to say, he'll be back in his hometown to discuss the book on Tues., June 17 at Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop in Mequon at 7 p.m. For more information call (262) 241-6220.
{INSERT_RELATED}She has fascinated religious and secular audiences alike, yet very few know much of the life of "Mary, Called Magdalene: A Novel." Author Margaret George, renowned for her historic chronicles of Henry VIII, Cleopatra and Mary Queen of Scots has spent seven years compiling research for her newest book on one of the Bible's most infamous characters. George will visit Barnes and Noble at Mayfair Mall on Wed., June 4 at 7 p.m. For more information call (414) 475-6070.
What happens when a mother must watch her adult daughter suffer from Werner's syndrome, a disease which causes accelerated aging, all while dealing with the death of her husband. Gail Tsukiyama's newest novel, "Dreaming Water," tackles this difficult issue by highlighting human dignity and strength. Of Japanese and Chinese decent, Tsukiyama has written several acclaimed novels set in Asia during World War II. This is her first novel set in America during contemporary times. Tsukiyama will visit Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop in Mequon for a talk on Tues., May 20 at 7 p.m. For more information call (262) 241-6220.
Meghan Daum has written a novel that would interest many Midwesterners as she spins the tale of Lucinda Trout, a television reporter for a popular morning news show in New York. Determined to escape the material world of the Big Apple, Lucinda sets out to live her dream country life in the Midwest. No standard of living can meet up to Lucinda's expectations but she refuses to let go of her country living notion regardless of the world falling apart around her. It's only when Lucinda can accept the less than perfect of any world, that she can begin to see the good. Daum will speak about "The Quality of Life Report," at Harry Schwartz Bookshop, 2559 N. Downer Ave., at 7 p.m. on May 27. For more information call (414) 332-1181.
Born in the former Soviet Union in 1972 and moving to the U.S. at the age of seven, author Gary Shteyngart weaves the satirical, quirky and adventuresome story of Vladimir Girshkin. Girshkin is a Russian Jewish immigrant raised in Westchester and forced to flee the path of a Florida drug lord to Prava, "the Eastern European Paris of the 90s," where he quickly gains expatriate popularity. The "Russian Debutante's Handbook," was named a New York Times Notable Book, and was #3 on Entertainment Weekly's list of Best Books of the Year. Shteyngart will read from his book at Harry W. Schwartz Bookshop in Shorewood, 4093 N. Oakland Ave., at 8 p.m. on Fri., June 6. For more information call (414) 963-3111.
