Ever by My Side

April 11, 2011
Veterinarian Trout (Tell Me Where It Hurts) has a deep love of animals. From the time of his early childhood in England, dogs were always part of the familyâwith all the inherent ups and downs. As an adult, Trout decides to move his practice to America, where he falls in love, gets married, and has his first cat (gasp!), the rough and tumble Reggie. Add to this a child, and more dogs, which teaches Trout, though his dealings with pets both at home and in the office, valuable lessons about life, loyalty, and love. With his second book Trout shows a practiced hand at narrative. These tales function well as heartwarming stand-alone stories, yet coalesce into a satisfying, complete memoir. Pet owners will be instantly captivated, empathizing and amused by Trout's stories of dog antics, feline aloofness, and the indescribable joy of sharing one's life with the animals.

December 15, 2010

Veterinarian surgeon Trout (Love Is the Best Medicine, 2009, etc.) writes about his father and the pets they shared in this loving, humorous memoir.

Growing up in a working-class British suburb, the author longed for a dog of his own. With encouragement from his frequently unemployed father, he lobbied his mother, who at first adamantly opposed adding another mouth to the family. Success came after a wave of neighborhood break-ins demonstrated the advantages of a having a watch dog at home. So Patch, a part–German shepherd puppy, joined the family. Despite Trout's love for Patch, the dog primarily bonded with his father. The author describes his initial jealousy: "I was the friend who got him the introduction and now I was the one getting dumped." Patch proved to be rambunctious and difficult to control but much beloved. Trips to the vet were especially difficult, even though the doctor took Patch's excitability in stride. Trout's father settled into a career as an electrician, but he always desired a country life. The author discovered that along with his love of animals, he had a predilection for science. When he expressed an interest in possibly becoming a veterinarian, his father was so enthusiastic that he began flooding the house with books by James Herriot and TV episodes of All Creatures Great and Small. Stranger still, his father began adopting the fictional Herriot's mannerisms, dress and Yorkshire way of speech. A succession of family pets followed Patch, and Trout embarked on the challenging path of becoming a veterinary surgeon, eventually relocating to the United States, where he married and started his own family. Sadly, he began to realize that although he always had his father's unconditional support, he was disappointed that his son did not follow in the footsteps of Herriot and become a country veterinarian.

A tender tribute to the author's father, sure to please fans of Trout's previous two pet-focused books.

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)