In Pam Houston's ninth book, the warmhearted essay collection Animals Taught Me Everything, the heroes mostly have four legs. Again and again, connections with other species have saved her from despair over health issues and the U.S.'s political direction.
The 15 essays orbit the dogs and horses on Houston's Colorado homestead and the wildlife she encounters on her travels. "A is for Aardwolf: A Sub-Saharan Prose Abecedarian," compiled on safari, crafts miniature hymns for endangered animals. The title piece summarizes lessons absorbed from other creatures: how to rest, how to trust, and ultimately how to die. From her dying wolfhound, Henry, she learned to appreciate daily pleasures such as (in his case) watching bunnies in the barn. An old rescue horse, Raj, devoted his retirement to silliness--a model for the author, who acknowledges she has based her self-worth on working multiple jobs.
Houston (Without Exception) weaves in her own experiences seamlessly. In 2020, keeping a premature ram alive somewhat counterbalanced all she couldn't control, including George Floyd's murder--one example, for her, of how Donald Trump's administration devalues all life. Perversely, she hoped not to see wolves in New Mexico, so they'd evade hunters--perhaps the same men who made her feel like prey as a lone, liberal woman. She started horse trekking in Iceland in defiance of long Covid and got so hooked she bought a cabin and horse there. (The overlong "A Horse Will Not Make a Suicide (Icelandic Suite)" may test the patience of the non-horse-crazy.)
These wry and affectionate pieces will resonate with pet owners and nature lovers. --Rebecca Foster, freelance reviewer, proofreader, and blogger at Bookish Beck