The Dog Who Went To Minneapolis

Have you ever glanced at a three-photo spread of a ratty-looking dog in the Sunday pictorial section and realized that the subject is your dog? Have you ever had a hostile feral cat set up house-keeping in your bathroom for two years? Have avocados and bananas mysteriously disappeared from your countertop? Such things can happen to animal people, according to author Andy Twedt, whose collection of anecdotes relates the quirks, antics, and strange adventures of certain animals she has known. Her human characters, too, are often colorful, like those in British writer James Herriot's popular animal stories. They range from the outspoken, pickle-canning Aunt Lil to the laid-back Wizard of Rivoli Street, whose talent is painting orange flames on black motorcycles. Veterinarians share the limelight, also. The gentle Dr. Navarro dispenses his droll humor, while the fun-loving Dr. McConnell initiates a rowdy tug-of-war in his lobby. Whatever their species, the characters make the book a compelling read, not only for animal people, but for anyone who enjoys a lively anecdote.