Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs by Caroline Knapp

Paperback edition of Pack of Two by Caroline Knapp

I purchased a used paperback edition of Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs by Caroline Knapp at a Friends of the Library Used Bookstore in Carpinteria, California in January 2013.

I'm playing catch up by reading books I've had in my personal collection of books for 4 years or longer. I chose to read Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs by Caroline Knapp as I am an avid dog lover. I am especially fond of toy dog breeds... My family has had two Pomeranians over the years. So, deciding to read Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs by Caroline Knapp was a no brainer for me. 

Why it took me until 2018 to finally read Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs by Caroline Knapp, I'm not sure. All I can say is that I am extremely happy that I finally did read this book. 

I've never read anything else written by Caroline Knapp before, so wasn't entirely sure what to expect from Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs. I simply knew that I wanted to read her book about the bond between dogs and humans.

After reading this book, I felt like Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs by Caroline Knapp was A) part memoir about Caroline Knapp's personal life and the bond she had with her dog, Lucille, a shepherd mix, B) the bonds felt by other people with their dogs who were interviewed for this book, and C) the scientific data sited for this book. All three areas were intertwined throughout this book seamlessly into tightly written chapters that focused on specific topics.

Caroline Knapp's writing is really engaging and she does a wonderful job in demonstrating the unique bond between people and dogs. I don't think you need to be a dog lover to enjoy reading Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs. I was also quite taken with how open, honest, and vulnerable Ms. Knapp was about sharing intimate details of her personal life that most of us wouldn't necessarily share in some detail with others in a book.

The following is a blurb about Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs by Caroline Knapp on Amazon:

At the age of 36, Caroline Knapp, author of the acclaimed bestseller Drinking:A Love Story, found herself confronted with a monumental task: redefining her world. She had faced the loss of both her parents, given up a twenty-year relationship with alcohol, and, as she writes, "I was wandering around in a haze of uncertainty, blinking up at the biggest questions: Who am I without parents and without alcohol? How to form attachments, and where to find comfort, in the face of such daunting vulnerability?" An answer materialized in the most unlikely form: that of a dog. Eighteen months to the day after she quit drinking, Knapp stumbled upon an eight-week-old puppy at a local animal shelter, took her home, and named her Lucille. Now two years old, Lucille has become a central force in Knapp's life: "In her," she writes, "I have found solace, joy, a bridge to the world."

Caroline Knapp has been celebrated as much for her fresh insight into emotional and psychological issues as she has been for her gifts as a writer. In Pack of Two, she brings the same perception and talent to bear on the rich, complicated terrain of human-animal relationships. In addition to mining her own experience with Lucille, Knapp speaks to a wide variety of dog people--from animal behaviorists and psychologists to other owners whose dogs have deeply affected their lives--about this emotionally complex, sometimes daunting, often profoundly healing alliance. Throughout, she explores the shift in canine roles from working partners to intimate companions and looks, too, at how this new kinship, this wordless bond, becomes a template for what we most desire ourselves.

I am giving Pack of Two: The Intricate Bond Between People and Dogs by Caroline Knapp a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars.

Until my next post, happy reading!