“The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances is a jubilant, wise celebration of love, reciprocal between human and canine, in ways profound, moving, and soul saving. Readers will long remember the central humans in this tale—Evie, Mrs. Auberchon, and Giant George—along with the exquisitely drawn cast of rescued dogs who, in their own delightful, mysterious, and silent ways, heal their rescuers wounds. Ellen Cooney has written a funny, joyous, and heartrending book that insists intelligence and kindness must win out over ignorance and cruelty. Exploring the human and canine hearts with equal doses of wisdom and wit, Dog School is surely a book to be read and reread preferably with your dog nestled by your side.” — Connie May Fowler, author of Remembering Blue
“What if James Herriot had written The Shining, but starring Bridget Jones? These pages are that much fun, and that harrowing, and that sweetly tender. Dog by dog by dog by Evie, the star-crossed protagonist, practically a stray herself, we come to understand that we're all a little bit un-adoptable, a little bit misused, and ready for sure for some loving kindness, the kind that surpasseth understanding, and that only dog can give.” — Bill Roorbach, author of Life Among Giants and Writing Life Stories
"The real genius of this story is in all the things it doesn't tell you, all the things it assumes you already know—and turns out, you do!—which leaves much more space to be taken up by what really matters: the marvelous canines. Any dog-lover—any person-lover—will be moved (nearly to the point of slobbering) by this warm, funny, heart-expanding book."—Pam Houston, author of Sight Hound and Contents May Have Shifted
"A young woman who knows she's lost, and an older woman who doesn't think she is, meet a slew of castaway dogs at a snowy, mountaintop sanctuary, and discover what they didn’t even know they were looking for. A charming novel about overcoming the past and finding meaning and purpose in the present."—Susan Richards, author of Chosen by a Horse
"The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances is both a joyful romp and a wise, engaging meditation on dogs, love, and recovery from pain. Come. Sit. Read!"—Lily King, author of The Pleasing Hour and Father of the Rain
“The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances is a jubilant, wise celebration of love, reciprocal between human and canine, in ways profound, moving, and soul saving. Readers will long remember the central humans in this tale—Evie, Mrs. Auberchon, and Giant George—along with the exquisitely drawn cast of rescued dogs who, in their own delightful, mysterious, and silent ways, heal their rescuers wounds. Ellen Cooney has written a funny, joyous, and heartrending book that insists intelligence and kindness must win out over ignorance and cruelty. Exploring the human and canine hearts with equal doses of wisdom and wit, Dog School is surely a book to be read and reread preferably with your dog nestled by your side.” — Connie May Fowler, author of Remembering Blue
“What if James Herriot had written The Shining, but starring Bridget Jones? These pages are that much fun, and that harrowing, and that sweetly tender. Dog by dog by dog by Evie, the star-crossed protagonist, practically a stray herself, we come to understand that we're all a little bit un-adoptable, a little bit misused, and ready for sure for some loving kindness, the kind that surpasseth understanding, and that only dog can give.” — Bill Roorbach, author of Life Among Giants and Writing Life Stories
"Dogs were bred by us to serve us in practical ways, but then dogs took it on themselves to serve us most profoundly by healing our broken hearts. Ellen Cooney understands this, and is the kind of keenly observational writer who can detail the path to healing only dogs can provide. A delightful read for all of us who can't imagine life without dogs."
—W. Bruce Cameron, New York Times Bestselling author of A Dog's Purpose and A Dog's Journey.
"Is there such a thing as a Rescue Book? Well, there is now. This is a miracle of a book. It's even a spiritual handbook. And it is for readers young and old and all of the in-between. Cooney is such a wise genius of a writer, and her sentences keep surprising you, but are never the point in themselves. I read with a kind of mental breathlessness. If Cooney needs someone to convince her to write a sequel, I volunteer."
—Gail Godwin, author of Evensong and Unfinished Desires
"The real genius of this story is in all the things it doesn't tell you, all the things it assumes you already know—and turns out, you do!—which leaves much more space to be taken up by what really matters: the marvelous canines. Any dog-lover—any person-lover—will be moved (nearly to the point of slobbering) by this warm, funny, heart-expanding book."
—Pam Houston, author of Sight Hound and Contents May Have Shifted
"A young woman who knows she's lost, and an older woman who doesn't think she is, meet a slew of castaway dogs at a snowy, mountaintop sanctuary, and discover what they didn’t even know they were looking for. A charming novel about overcoming the past and finding meaning and purpose in the present."
—Susan Richards, author of Chosen by a Horse
"The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances is both a joyful romp and a wise, engaging meditation on dogs, love, and recovery from pain. Come. Sit. Read!"
—Lily King, author of The Pleasing Hour and Father of the Rain
“The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances is a jubilant, wise celebration of love, reciprocal between human and canine, in ways profound, moving, and soul saving. Readers will long remember the central humans in this tale—Evie, Mrs. Auberchon, and Giant George—along with the exquisitely drawn cast of rescued dogs who, in their own delightful, mysterious, and silent ways, heal their rescuers wounds. Ellen Cooney has written a funny, joyous, and heartrending book that insists intelligence and kindness must win out over ignorance and cruelty. Exploring the human and canine hearts with equal doses of wisdom and wit, Mountaintop is surely a book to be read and reread preferably with your dog nestled by your side.”
—Connie May Fowler, author of Remembering Blue
“What if James Herriot had written The Shining, but starring Bridget Jones? These pages are that much fun, and that harrowing, and that sweetly tender. Dog by dog by dog by Evie, the star-crossed protagonist, practically a stray herself, we come to understand that we're all a little bit un-adoptable, a little bit misused, and ready for sure for some loving kindness, the kind that surpasseth understanding, and that only dog can give.”
— Bill Roorbach, author of Life Among Giants and Writing Life Stories
"Is there such a thing as a Rescue Book? Well, there is now. This is a miracle of a book. It's even a spiritual handbook. And it is for readers young and old and all of the in-between. Cooney is such a wise genius of a writer, and her sentences keep surprising you, but are never the point in themselves. I read with a kind of mental breathlessness. If Cooney needs someone to convince her to write a sequel, I volunteer."
—Gail Godwin, author of Evensong and Unfinished Desires
"The real genius of this story is in all the things it doesn't tell you, all the things it assumes you already know—and turns out, you do!—which leaves much more space to be taken up by what really matters: the marvelous canines. Any dog-lover—any person-lover—will be moved (nearly to the point of slobbering) by this warm, funny, heart-expanding book."
—Pam Houston, author of Sight Hound and Contents May Have Shifted
"A young woman who knows she's lost, and an older woman who doesn't think she is, meet a slew of castaway dogs at a snowy, mountaintop sanctuary, and discover what they didn’t even know they were looking for. A charming novel about overcoming the past and finding meaning and purpose in the present."
—Susan Richards, author of Chosen by a Horse
"The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances is both a joyful romp and a wise, engaging meditation on dogs, love, and recovery from pain. Come. Sit. Read!"
—Lily King, author of The Pleasing Hour and Father of the Rain
“The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances is a jubilant, wise celebration of love, reciprocal between human and canine, in ways profound, moving, and soul saving. Readers will long remember the central humans in this tale—Evie, Mrs. Auberchon, and Giant George—along with the exquisitely drawn cast of rescued dogs who, in their own delightful, mysterious, and silent ways, heal their rescuers wounds. Ellen Cooney has written a funny, joyous, and heartrending book that insists intelligence and kindness must win out over ignorance and cruelty. Exploring the human and canine hearts with equal doses of wisdom and wit, Mountaintop is surely a book to be read and reread preferably with your dog nestled by your side.”
—Connie May Fowler, author of Remembering Blue
“What if James Herriot had written The Shining, but starring Bridget Jones? These pages are that much fun, and that harrowing, and that sweetly tender. Dog by dog by dog by Evie, the star-crossed protagonist, practically a stray herself, we come to understand that we're all a little bit un-adoptable, a little bit misused, and ready for sure for some loving kindness, the kind that surpasseth understanding, and that only dog can give.”
— Bill Roorbach, author of Life Among Giants and Writing Life Stories
"The real genius of this story is in all the things it doesn't tell you, all the things it assumes you already know—and turns out, you do!—which leaves much more space to be taken up by what really matters: the marvelous canines. Any dog-lover—any person-lover—will be moved (nearly to the point of slobbering) by this warm, funny, heart-expanding book."
—Pam Houston, author of Sight Hound and Contents May Have Shifted
"A young woman who knows she's lost, and an older woman who doesn't think she is, meet a slew of castaway dogs at a snowy, mountaintop sanctuary, and discover what they didn’t even know they were looking for. A charming novel about overcoming the past and finding meaning and purpose in the present."
—Susan Richards, author of Chosen by a Horse
"The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances is both a joyful romp and a wise, engaging meditation on dogs, love, and recovery from pain. Come. Sit. Read!"
—Lily King, author of The Pleasing Hour and Father of the Rain
“The Mountaintop School for Dogs and Other Second Chances is a jubilant, wise celebration of love, reciprocal between human and canine, in ways profound, moving, and soul saving. Readers will long remember the central humans in this tale—Evie, Mrs. Auberchon, and Giant George—along with the exquisitely drawn cast of rescued dogs who, in their own delightful, mysterious, and silent ways, heal their rescuers wounds. Ellen Cooney has written a funny, joyous, and heartrending book that insists intelligence and kindness must win out over ignorance and cruelty. Exploring the human and canine hearts with equal doses of wisdom and wit, Mountaintop is surely a book to be read and reread preferably with your dog nestled by your side.”
—Connie May Fowler, author of Remembering Blue
“What if James Herriot had written The Shining, but starring Bridget Jones? These pages are that much fun, and that harrowing, and that sweetly tender. Dog by dog by dog by Evie, the star-crossed protagonist, practically a stray herself, we come to understand that we're all a little bit un-adoptable, a little bit misused, and ready for sure for some loving kindness, the kind that surpasseth understanding, and that only dog can give.”
— Bill Roorbach, author of Life Among Giants and Writing Life Stories
ADVANCE PRAISE FOR THE MOUNTAINTOP SCHOOL FOR DOGS AND OTHER SECOND CHANCES:
"What if James Herriot had written The Shining, but starring Bridget Jones? These pages are that much fun, and that harrowing, and that sweetly tender.Dog by dog by dog by Evie, the star-crossed protagonist, practically a stray herself, we come to understand that we're all a little bit un-adoptable, a little bit misused, and ready for sure for some loving kindness, the kind that surpasseth understanding, and that only dog can give. Ellen Cooney has written a timeless primer to healing, surviving, transcending, and to a rarified communication that runs both ways and back again. I read this book with a cup of tea in my hand and my dog at my side (Baila, a golden). She wagged when I laughed, growled when I gasped, licked my face when I cried, damn it, woof. These animals know a good book when they sniff one." – Bill Roorbach, author of Life Among Giants and Writing Life Stories
"This is a jubilant, wise celebration of love, reciprocal between human and canine, in ways profound, moving, and soul saving. Readers will long remember the central humans in this tale—Evie, Mrs. Auberchon, and Giant George—along with the exquisitely drawn cast of rescued dogs who, in their own delightful, mysterious, and silent ways, heal their rescuers wounds. Ellen Cooney has written a funny, joyous, and heartrending book that insists intelligence and kindness must win out over ignorance and cruelty. Exploring the human and canine hearts with equal doses of wisdom and wit, it is surely a book to be read and reread preferably with your dog nestled by your side."—Connie May Fowler, author of
Before Women had Wings and
When Katie WakesPraise for Ellen Cooney:
"The richness of lives that are limited without being narrow is her forte."—Ms. [A Private Hotel]
"Ellen Cooney's laser-bright writing, sense of humor, and unerring ear for dialogue cannot be praised highly enough."—Mademoiselle
"Cooney writes with light grace."—Boston Globe
"Ellen Cooney has a talent for creating fine, quirky characters."—Washington Post
"The real genius of this story is in all the things it doesn't tell you, all the things it assumes you already know—and turns out, you do!—which leaves much more space to be taken up by what really matters: the marvelous canines. Any dog-lover—any person-lover—will be moved (nearly to the point of slobbering) by this warm, funny, heart-expanding book."
—Pam Houston, author of Sight Hound and Contents May Have Shifted
"A young woman who knows she's lost, and an older woman who doesn't think she is, meet a slew of castaway dogs at a snowy, mountaintop sanctuary, and discover what they didn’t even know they were looking for. A charming novel about overco...
