Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 35
 An excellent book October 20, 2009
smoothsoul (New Zealand)
It's been eight years since I read this book, and I was looking it up so that I could pass the details to my mother, whose cat passed away today. This book was an immense help when my cat died. So much so I wanted to write to the author and thank him - it really helped me through a distressing time. If you're feeling sad, lost and lonely after your pet passes away, this book will help.
Very Helpful Book October 9, 2008
Wil (Michigan)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This is a very easy to read and understand book. It is heartwarming and gave me comfort as I was going through the loss of my beloved dog. Make sure to have tissue handy.
 Very "circle-of-life"-ish, but contains helpful thoughts October 5, 2008
Cristie Ricciotti (The Jersey Shore)
2 out of 6 found this review helpful
As a Christian, I knew going into this book that the author is a minister of a Unitarian "church" that is not recognized as Biblical Christianity, so I accounted for that. This church's theology rejects Christ as the Son of God and equal with God, and their faith is guided more by reason and science than by the Word of God. Hence, there is a sense of spiritual and even emotional detachment when dealing with experiences and emotions. So I'll say at the top here that many of his expressions of faith come across as 'detached', so you'll have to move on from that and consider his presentation of nature and "the circle of life" which does have some benefit.
Kowalski's scientific approach held some value for me because it helped me to reconcile the fact that losing my dogs (I lost both within 5 months of one another) was natural, beneficial for them and an experience of life at its most natural. In other words, death is a natural part of life; so if you prefer a more scientific-type approach to these matters, his writing may appeal to you. He does express his own love for his pets, there are some quotes in the begining of each chapter that are nice, and you'll find some compassion and affirmation there, but his view is so scientific in nature that you may imagine a very composed, straight face looking at you and saying, "Friend, it's a part of life. It's the way it is. Embrace it." Personally, I like a better balance between that sort of reality and the ability to reach into one's emotional experience at the same time.
I think I highlighted a handful of helpful thoughts as I went through the book, and overall I appreciated his writing, but it was one of those books, for me anyway, where one reading sufficed. Whereas, another book "Coping with Sorrow on the Loss of Your Pet", was a much more practical, walk-with-you approach that I gained an abundance from by comparison to Kowalski's book. It was much more therapeutic for me.
God bless you and bring peace to you as you go through this time of grief, and if you are looking to buy a book for a friend who is going through it, I personally would recommend the above-mentioned book by Moira Anderson before this one.
 too religous! August 30, 2008
Anon, Arlington, VA
3 out of 8 found this review helpful
I don't know, I guess I didn't care for the religion part, but it didn't really help. But then again, maybe nothing helps when you lose your dog. Maybe it's just me, but I didn't like it at all.
after a loved pet dies April 7, 2008
the cat's meow (Houston, TX)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I sent this and the other Kowalski book to my brother after his best friend, Smokey, died in his arms. He told me that it was helpful as he was grieving.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 35
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