Close Friends

by Peter Jenkins

If you've ever loved a dog, a cat, an old barn, or a place in the country, you will love CLOSE FRIENDS. Meet UFO, the shy Brahman bull who mates only at night; and Tigger, the smartest farm cat ever. Meet Cooper, Peter Jenkin's forever friend, a half Alaskan Malamute dog; and Shocker, the black stallion Peter took to Inner Mongolia. You will also meet the remarkable people who live among animals and who love them as he does. Of all the books Peter Jenkins has written, none is more heartfelt or moving than CLOSE FRIENDS.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Memoir, Journal

319 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Born July 8th, 1951 in Greenwich, Connecticut,

Peter is the eldest of the six children of Frederick and Mary Jenkins.

Graduated from Greenwich High School in 1969.

Attended Woodstock in summer of 1969.

Graduated from Alfred University in 1973 with a BFA, majoring in Sculptor/ Ceramics.
Began his Walk Across America on October 15, 1973 in Alfred, New York. It ended in mid-January of 1979 in Florence, Oregon.

When not traveling and exploring he lives on a farm in middle Tennessee . He is the proud father of six children, Aaron, Brooke, Rebekah, Jedidiah, Luke and Julianne and is married to the former Rita Jorgensen of Michigan .

Reviews

[Jennifer Robertson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not read Walk Across America or Across China, so that may put me slightly out of the loop. I feel it's important to note that it was not Jenkins's writing that bothered me, but his use of backstory that went too far for my interest at times. I don't think my less-than-stellar opinion has anything to do with the book being published in the late 80s (as it didn't have much of a dated feel) as much as the elitism (it's not the best word to use these days but I can't think of a better one in this case) in which most of the animals in this book are acquired. It was actually a bit of a surprise, given the author's meager upbringing. While I'm sure there is something to be said for getting dogs and horses whose lineage date back centuries from a family of hunting, sledding or military breeding, it was stressed way too much in Close Friends for my taste. And perhaps because of all that special breeding, many of the people-animal relationships featured in this book did not work out in the end, no matter how special they were in the duration. As a parent of shelter dogs and other rescued animals for over a decade, I wanted there to be more of an emphasis that animals can come from any background, sometimes even in the worst of conditions, before becoming a friend to humans, and because that point was not made well enough for my taste, I could not rate this book any higher.

[Jennifer Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot. I enjoy non-fiction and I love reading about animals. I enjoyed Peter Jenkin's first book, A Walk Across America. He writes simply, making his books quick, easy reads. The subjects are somewhat scattered from chapter to chapter but not so bad that you cannat enjoy the story. He talks about the farm he has bought, dogs he has had, horse and cow experiences, birds, cats...

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm only 3/4 of the way through this book and the author is irritating me mightily. For one thing, the stories are a little dull. But mostly I have absolutely no patience for the his romantic notion that dogs should be able to run wild and free. He seems absolutely astounded that his huskies are killing the neighbors' chickens. And then he just lets it keep happening. If you won't train your dog, you shouldn't have one. Simple.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read A Walk Across America last year and really liked it, but since this book is all about the animals he's owned in his life and very little if anything else, it's even better. I think I read this once in the 1990s, and it was a fine standalone animal book then, but it's even better now that I know who the author is.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this author. I read A Walk Across America, which he also wrote, and now I am reading Close Friends. This book is basically a collection of stories about the pets he has owned and taken care of and loved.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book I have ever read about people and animals!

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book about animals and the people who love them. Jenkins tells some interesting tales.

[Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need a puppy.

I've also learned that I do not need cows, under any circumstances.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have had this book since I was 12, and have re-read it many times. It's a really funny, sweet collection of stories of the author's connections with various animals.

[Nicole Wagner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've seen comparisons of this book to James Herriot's ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL series--a set of books that are beloved to me, among my all-time favorite reads.

I acknowledge those comparisons, and that this novel would indeed make sense to be shelved near Herriot at the bookshop. It's a chronological set of earthy and humorous short recollections of a wholesome, somewhat bumbling young man getting to know the ropes of farm life for the first time.

CLOSE FRIENDS was absolutely following the Herriot signposts in the early chapters, during which our memoirist does the absolute MOST for pets in his care during a veterinary clinic's off hours. There's something about an earnest boy and his devoted dog that seems to always really make for a riveting story. It's clear this man has always had a heart for animals. It was entertaining reading about the author and his friends' youthful hijinks in a time before smartphones, when it was fairly common to hitchhike where you wanted to go.

Many of us who had a "heart dog" during our young years can identify with the following:

"I loved Cooper like I'd never loved any living thing before him...How can I feel so close to a dog like Cooper, and sometimes be so indifferent, burning and burned out with humans? He may be dead, buried in the ground not far from here, but he's not gone from me. He never will be."

As the memoirist ages and starts a family, he describes his Siberian huskies' hardheadedness with their owner and simultaneous gentleness with young children. As a Siberian husky owner, I laughed out loud at some parts from this section. It was so nostalgic to read. The same way that the author's baby, Rebekah, baby powdered their dogs, my little daughter used to give our Merlin "makeovers" and put hair clips all over his white body in rainbow colors. I couldn't believe how similar to my experience were the author's descriptions of his huskies' escape artistry and everyone else's patience with these trouble-mutts. I rather wish I would have read this story before I adopted my husky!!

Finding peace in your own little postage stamp of nature during the chaos of life was a theme: "I loved to lie on the quiet ground and be calmed by the vast silence."

I was very disappointed to learn that the author and his wife divorced. He doesn't speak too much about his wife in the book, and I can only assume without having read it that he goes over his great love for her in his better-known memoir WALK ACROSS AMERICA. Still, the broken home chapter was awfully sad. Triggering, even, as the author becomes so desolate he contemplates ending his life. I know it's realistic, but it rather spoiled the bucolic spell it had had me under to that point. No one of us can judge another's marriage, but I imagine all the traveling the author apparently did when his children were very young was terribly hard on Barbara. I have to remove a star for this in my rating, as I likely won't reread despite how much I enjoyed some of the stories.

[Carolyn Kay Doswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, but Peter only really loves the horses and dogs and not the pigs or chickens because he eats them. He names the cows and helps birth their calves, but then sends mama cow to slaughter when she is old and worn out from milking and giving him calves to send to slaughter.
Who is the Close Friends of pigs, cows and chickens? He talks about how he loves the quails and other wild animals on his farm, but keeps the pigs, cows and chickens as his personal meat slaves. Good friends????

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Close Friends shows Peter's connectedness throughout his many adventures. His stories of the large animals are just amazing. Such strong emotions are evoked. My favorite story was the love between Grr and Lacy. Their separation demonstrated what we learn of animal emotions. I felt Peter's internal terror on that bleak Christmas Eve after his divorce. He writes with such emotion. Peter thank you for sharing the deeper stories of the principals throughout your journeying.

[Robin Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like visiting an old friend and catching up on what's going on. Left me with a peaceful easy feeling.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This autobiographical series of interactions with animals is a breezy read. First a bird, then Alaskan huskies, then cows and horses. Scene, mostly, is a farm in middle Tennessee. Reading interest builds when his two imported huskies begin to devastate neighboring chicken flocks and to harass milk cows. Well, that's no way to be a good neighbor. Male husky detests being penned or tied up so story interest builds: How to resolve this dilemma? Also, how to capture an ornery bull? Knowledgeable and unalienated folk oblige.

[Felicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was pretty enjoyable, although there is not a lot of cohesion among the chapters; they are just all stories about interactions that Jenkins has had with animals over the years. I enjoyed the early stories from his childhood more than the later ones from his farm. Animal farming seems too brutal: rounding up cattle and watching calves die at birth are not the stories I wanted to hear.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Close Friends by Peter Jenkins (William Morrow and Co. 1989) (636.0887). Author Peter Jenkins is off the road and living on a farm in Tennessee. He tells James Herriot-like tales of animals he has known and loved. It worked much better for Herriot. My rating: 6/10, finished 1993.

[Michael Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

APL Recycled Reads find. A series of short stories about life on his Tennessee farm after he settles down from his walking across the country. Some stories are wonderful and descriptive and some are wallowing in self pity. I prefer his on the road adventures.

[Dan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great insight into the man who help us all discover America. But he did not do it alone.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an enjoyable memoir of Jenkins' encounters with animal friends. If you are intrigued by animals and like to learn more, by all means, enjoy.