Bad Dogs Have More Fun: Selected Writings on Family, Animals, and Life from The Philadelphia Inquirer

Bad Dogs Have More Fun is an unforgettable collection of more than seventy-five newspaper articles from The Philadelphia Inquirer written by former columnist John Grogan. Combining humor, wit, poignancy, and affection, these columns provide insight into the intriguing and wonderful world we live in. Whether it be writing about animals (from dogs to elephants to geese!), powerful and moving comments about his own and other families, trenchant comments on life’s foibles and farces, or his interviews and interactions with people who are memorable and unusual in their own right, John Grogan makes us laugh-he makes us cry-he makes us think.Visit www.baddogshavemorefun.comA percentage of the profits from the sale of this book will go to THE GOOD DOG FOUNDATION, where dogs help humans heal.To learn more, visit www.thegooddogfoundation.org Contents......Page 6 PART ONE: Family......Page 10 Deaf Girl Provides Lesson in Courage......Page 12 Food for Thought on Child-Rearing......Page 15 Phila. in Spring, and Free Parking!......Page 18 A Refresher Course in Parenting 101......Page 21 Girl, 4, Offers Hope by Way She Lived......Page 24 A Friendship Born of Two Mothers' Grief......Page 27 A Wish: One More Magic Christmas......Page 30 For Teen Mother, the Son Is Rising......Page 33 Mother Keeps the Passion Alive......Page 36 Getaway Becomes Dad-Son Mind Trip......Page 39 Brain-Damaged, but Still a "Gift"......Page 43 Speeder Dad Learns an Important Lesson......Page 46 Introducing a Gift Named Danny......Page 49 When a Child Goes Missing......Page 52 "It's Never the Same":Too True......Page 55 Who's a Father? A Guy Who's There......Page 58 Learn the Rhythm of Solitude......Page 61 PART TWO: Animals......Page 66 What's Good for the Goose? Us......Page 68 A Feline Air Traveler Lost in Philadelphia......Page 71 Saying Farewell to a Faithful Pal......Page 74 They're Bad, and We Love 'Em Still......Page 77 Shelter in Media Mocks Its Mission......Page 80 Animal Lovers? No, Just Bullies......Page 83 In the Next Ring, a Stepford Terrier......Page 86 Marley & Me:The Whole Truth......Page 89 Zoo Hysteria High as Elephant's Eye......Page 92 Puppy Mills Not Always Obvious......Page 95 Celebrity & Me......Page 98 A Trek to the North Pole, for His One True Friend......Page 106 Alpha Bet......Page 109 Skip the Gun,Try Four-Legged Security......Page 112 PART THREE: Life......Page 116 New Scribe: A Suburbanite Geek......Page 118 Spreading Cheer the Interfaith Way......Page 121 Weather to Croon and Swoon Over......Page 124 Boob Eyes Tube While Driving......Page 127 Ditch the Speedo, and Other Fla.Tips......Page 130 9/11 Altered Our View of Tragedy......Page 133 Her Shop Corners Market on Dignity......Page 136 Taking a Shot at Buying a Gun......Page 139 Tired of Sales Calls? Try Defense Tactics......Page 142 Burning the Flag as an Act of Love......Page 145 In Healing, Reminder of Life's Final Hurt......Page 148 Phones Driving Us to Distraction......Page 151 Hey, Ever Hear of an Ashtray?......Page 154 Letting Go of the One That Got Away......Page 157 Haunting Glimpse at a Stranger's Life......Page 160 Let No Chip Put This Vow Asunder......Page 163 He Helps Iraq's Children and America's Cause......Page 167 TV Weather Is a Flurry of Hysteria......Page 170 Ordinary People Vowing to Marry......Page 173 Sounds of Spring Roar in the Burbs......Page 176 Earth Versus the Mall People......Page 179 Tow-Truck Driver Became Her Angel......Page 182 James Pratt: A Knight in a Lime-Green Tow Truck......Page 185 Zero Tolerance Running Amok......Page 188 It's Unhealthy, but It Is Legal......Page 191 The Nonsense Logic of Angry Smokers......Page 194 A Shared Concern for a Jane Doe......Page 197 A Friend Lost in Life, but Found in Death......Page 200 Honked Off by Bumper Sticker......Page 203 When Our Fears Lead to Prejudices......Page 206 A Terrorist? Moi? Twice Exonerated......Page 209 Even Vicki Needs to Work on Image......Page 212 When Music Died,Words Were Born......Page 215 You've Got Spam:AOL's Trial CDs......Page 218 With This Ring, Show Some Class......Page 221 A Helping Hand, a Helping of Grace......Page 224 Summer and Smoke......Page 227 One Violent Summer,Two Worlds Collided......Page 231 Talkin' 'Bout the Generations......Page 234 Dogged Writers in the Big House......Page 237 A Searing Lesson in Forgiveness......Page 240 Flying's Fearful New Annoyances......Page 243 Mortality Check Is in the Mail......Page 247 Just Say No to Black Friday......Page 250 An Army of One Takes on Litter......Page 253 Collects more than seventy-five "Philadelphia Inquirer" columns by John Grogan that cover such topics as families, animals, and life in modern America.