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Dixon's Place
Non-fiction about a husband and wife team and the animals they've adopted, starting with a duck named Dixon.
262 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 12, 2013
First, although the publisher says Dixon’s Place by William Corradini is a work of fiction, it is not. It is a deeply personal memoir covering a good part of Corradini’s life. He and his wife take in Dixon, a duck, at first for rather frivolous reasons. This leads them down a path in which they start taking in unwanted pets and giving them a good home, and ends with them working with various animal rescue groups. In Corradini’s words, he was “heading toward a life of shallow selfishness…” and working with the animals has given him a purpose in life.
The message in the book is clear. The pet trade has been a disaster for many species. People should either avoid having pets or spend the time, money, and effort to care for them properly.
Corradini is not and does not claim to be a biologist or other animal expert. The book is not, and is not intended to be, a scientific tome. While he gives a fair amount of factual information to support what he says, his argument is mainly and unashamedly emotional. Like many personal accounts it is sometimes rambling and introduces things relevant to the author, but not to all readers. His writing is riddled with anthropomorphism, but few people who have worked with animals in any way are able to avoid thinking of their instinctive behavior in human terms. In a book such as this it is understandable.
Although it deals with animals and their interactions with humans, Dixon’s Place is not a children’s’ book. It is non-technical and readable, but the language is often decidedly adult and some of the situations the Corradinis find themselves dealing with are quite unpleasant. In the end the joy and satisfaction they experience far outweigh the tragedy, and, if not warm and fuzzy, it does have a gently upbeat conclusion.
For a person interested in animals in the pet trade and their well-being, this is a book worth reading.
The message in the book is clear. The pet trade has been a disaster for many species. People should either avoid having pets or spend the time, money, and effort to care for them properly.
Corradini is not and does not claim to be a biologist or other animal expert. The book is not, and is not intended to be, a scientific tome. While he gives a fair amount of factual information to support what he says, his argument is mainly and unashamedly emotional. Like many personal accounts it is sometimes rambling and introduces things relevant to the author, but not to all readers. His writing is riddled with anthropomorphism, but few people who have worked with animals in any way are able to avoid thinking of their instinctive behavior in human terms. In a book such as this it is understandable.
Although it deals with animals and their interactions with humans, Dixon’s Place is not a children’s’ book. It is non-technical and readable, but the language is often decidedly adult and some of the situations the Corradinis find themselves dealing with are quite unpleasant. In the end the joy and satisfaction they experience far outweigh the tragedy, and, if not warm and fuzzy, it does have a gently upbeat conclusion.
For a person interested in animals in the pet trade and their well-being, this is a book worth reading.
July 25, 2013
This is such a cute book. Admittedly, it does deal with animals and animals do...die so be warned about that. However, I really enjoyed reading it and seeing his photos of all the animals from the book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews