The Dog Says How
In this wonderfully original collection of autobiographical stories, popular storyteller and NPR commentator Kevin Kling deftly weaves pitch-perfect scenes of childhood antics and adulthood absurdities with themes of overcoming tragedy, forging lifelong friendships, and living with disabilities in a complex world.\ \ In "Circus," Kling recollects how his love of boats, animals and adventure inspired him to join a traveling circus troupe-but it was the all-you-can-eat buffet that cinched the...
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In this wonderfully original collection of autobiographical stories, popular storyteller and NPR commentator Kevin Kling deftly weaves pitch-perfect scenes of childhood antics and adulthood absurdities with themes of overcoming tragedy, forging lifelong friendships, and living with disabilities in a complex world.In "Circus," Kling recollects how his love of boats, animals and adventure inspired him to join a traveling circus troupe-but it was the all-you-can-eat buffet that cinched the deal. In "Dogs," Fafnir, Kling's new wiener puppy, leads him into the world of show dogs, those resembling "cleaning implements-perfumed, powdered, and pampered." In the poignant title story, Kling straddles the realm of the ordinary and one rivaling Dante's underworld as he learns how to use voice-recognition software after his near fatal motorcycle accident.These and many more classic and never-before-told tales are collected in The Dog Says How. In Kling's universe, "the mundane becomes magical, the fantastic becomes accessible and through it all his profound sense of curiosity about the world transforms the everyday to the timeless" (Queen Anne News).Publishers WeeklyKling's short but sweet recording is a collection of autobiographical tales relating events of his past with an ear for everyday themes such as friendship, death and disability. His writing is earnest but real and often hilarious; his reading follows suit. The self-deprecating Kling is always looking to draw a laugh from his listeners, but never ignores the message behind each tale. Listeners of all ages will find themselves lured into Kling's ceaselessly funny tales as he expounds on everything from taxidermy to wearing socks with sandals just to annoy people. A Borealis Books hardcover (reviewed online). (Sept.)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
\ Publishers WeeklyKling's short but sweet recording is a collection of autobiographical tales relating events of his past with an ear for everyday themes such as friendship, death and disability. His writing is earnest but real and often hilarious; his reading follows suit. The self-deprecating Kling is always looking to draw a laugh from his listeners, but never ignores the message behind each tale. Listeners of all ages will find themselves lured into Kling's ceaselessly funny tales as he expounds on everything from taxidermy to wearing socks with sandals just to annoy people. A Borealis Books hardcover (reviewed online). (Sept.)\ Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.\ \ \ \ \ Library JournalAs a playwright (Fear and Loving in Minneapolis), humorist, and commentator on National Public Radio's All Things Considered, Kling is well known for his ability to find comedy in whatever life sends his way, first a birth defect, then a motorcycle accident that has limited his use of both arms. The title piece in this debut collection refers to a fight between Kling's cat and dog that causes his voice-activated computer software to respond by typing "How, how, why, why." Many of these 29 autobiographical tales recount childhood escapades with his father as they flew model airplanes or traveled on family car trips. "Dad's Day" shares the mixed-up phrases a neighbor, Mr. Sloan, creates to dispense wisdom, e.g., "It ain't rocket surgery, for crying outside." With Kling's frequent childhood visits to the emergency room, his father offered this wise instruction as Kling went on wild go-cart rides: "Don't get killed just because you know how." The tales range from a long line of family members who have survived lightning strikes to a third-generation farmer who decides to plant a field of sunflowers because he knows he will never be able to afford a Van Gogh. Recommended for all Minnesota libraries and for literary collections in larger public libraries.\ —Joyce Sparrow\ \ \
