ISBN: 9780990840718 

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A Chicago Book Review "Best Books of 2015: Nonfiction" selection.

 

"Honorable Mention" in the Chicago Writers Association 2015 Book of the Year Awards.

 

A book of essays by award-winning author and journalist David W. Berner is the next best thing to storytelling around a bonfire. In There’s a Hamster in the Dashboard, Berner shares stories of “a life in pets” — from a collie that herds Berner home when the author goes “streaking” through the neighborhood as a two-year-old, to a father crying in front of his son for the only time in his life while burying the family dog on the Fourth of July. And from the ant farm that seems like a great learning experience (until the ants learn how to escape), to the hamster that sets out on its own road trip (but only gets as far as the dashboard). Along the way, Berner shows that pets not only connect us with the animal world, but also with each other and with ourselves. The result is a collection of essays that is insightful and humorous, entertaining and touching. 

 

"Each of these stories serves as a brief vignette that illuminates evolution from boy to teen to adult, from child to father, each instance serving as a lesson about life. All of the stories are thoughtful, going well beyond the ins and outs and highs and lows of pet ownership to consider what our experiences with pets teach us. Full of emotions that linger, the book makes us think not just about the author and his life with pets, but of ourselves and of our own lives with the pets in them and of the deep value and lasting lessons these beautiful, wonderful, loving creatures share with us." Kelli Christiansen, Chicago Book Review (Read the complete review HERE.)

 

"Berner’s book is meant to be read and re-read. For an animal person, this is a return to childhood and growing up with companions that truly mattered along the way." Gerry Souter, Windy City Reviews (Read the complete review HERE.)

 

"Funny, poignant, insightful, and quirky." Stanley Coren, The Intelligence of Dogs

 

"Berner understands that our relationship to our pets and to the world around us defines who we are as humans." Robert Louis Henry, Leaf Garden Press 

 

"One man’s memory lane of life with animals, in which he learns as much about his parents, himself, and his parenting as he does about his pets." Anne Veague, Waterline Writers 

 

"Berner's powerful prose flows with rich imagery." JW Smith, Editor, Epiphany 

 

"Berner's writing captures the raw and real essence of what it is to be human." Larry Richert, KDKA Radio "Words flow so beautifully, clearly drawing complicated images of our lives." Shari L. Schmidt, OMB (Oh My Books)