Rescuing Sprite: A Dog Lover's Story of Joy and Anguish

I ordered a good condition book and received a badly stained book. The water stain was on the inside as well as the outside. I make a point only to get good condition in attempt to avoid water stains. I was disappointed.

This is a book about love. It's a gift to all of us who love our family members who happen to be furry or hairy. They come to us for such a short time but bring us untold joy and happiness and fun. They love us no matter what. They love us if we're fat or ugly or smelly or in a bad mood. They don't care if we're rich or poor, what color our skin is, what our politics or religion are. They only care about us. And they ask so little in return. Mark has captured that love in this incredible book. While you may or may not agree with Mark's politics or his rhetoric, he is a kind, decent man. And he absolutely loves his dogs. He considers them part of his family. This book is not about his politics or his take on current affairs. It's about the love and loss of his beloved Sprite. Those of us who have had pets know the great, deep love we feel for them. And most all of us know the deep, sickening pain of losing them. We know the depth of pain when we are faced with the choice to put them to sleep. We have so many mixed emotions. Sadly, that pain never leaves us. I watched my wonderful old faithful dog, Sague, die a few years ago. I think of him many times each day and still miss him. I still feel the pain, almost as fresh and raw as it was going through his illness and death. I can remember the look in his old, kind, smart eyes. If I didn't have my dogs and cats in my house, it would no longer be a home. That's what our pets give us. So if you've ever loved a pet, especially a dog, but any pet, you need this book. You need it so you will not feel alone and so you will understand that we all share this deep abiding love for our dear companions. We also all share the deep pain when we lose them. The strongest of us are torn apart by their leaving us. It's a terrible loss. And it helps to share it with others. That's the power of this book. This is a special book. It touches the soul. It touches the raw part of each of us, the part that we all have if we're normal, caring human beings. This is the book of the year, if not the decade. Buy it and feel the love and warmth and be grateful for every day you have with your wonderful pets.

I could not stop reading this great book, and finished it on the day I received it. It was very therapeutic, and I wish I would have had it a year and a half ago when I lost my beloved companion "Rover." Any animal lover who has been through the anguish of a sick pet would benefit from this book, and you know you are not alone in your anguish. Although it broke my heart and opened a lot of old wounds, some quite difficult memories of my own pain, it also helped me to realize I am not alone, especially since I felt extremely guilty, such as Mark did, of feeling so distraught over an animal's death. I thank you Mark, and I know Sprite thanks you for keeping his memory alive, and for bringing awareness to all of the wonderful animals that are out there in the shelters and to the wonderful people who work there.

"Rescuing Sprite" tells the story of devotion and caring that pet owners can fully understand and non-pet owners will want to grasp hold of. The unbounded loyalty the family dog has for its loving family is told in a way that few before have done. Mark Levin has retold his family's stirring tale of adopting a dog from a humane society's foster parent program and the painful anguish of having to face the inescapable truth that their beloved member of the family was dying and hard decisions had to be made. Mark's book will open the eyes and hearts of his readers to the joy of accepting these lonely animals, as they do so much more than befriend, they foster loving memories that span the lives of all they come in contact with. My family and I have our own `Sprite-like' stories and this book puts it all in perspective. Well done Mark!!

Mark's story is a sad tale that I can relate to. Mark has a talent of reliving his experiences and putting them down in words. Rescuing Sprite makes me feel both saddened and uplifted at the same time. I find myself cherishing my pets all the more as a result. I highly recommend this book to all pet owners.

This book was hard to put down. An emotional and honest story about dealing with the loss of a beloved dog, it will melt the heart of anyone who's had a pet they cared about. Levin reminds us that we need to block out all the distractions of daily life and appreciate what is really important.