Enslaved by Bob Tarte read online EPUB, MOBI, DJV
9781565123519 English 1565123514 The book that Entertainment Weekly called "hilarious," Publishers Weekly declared "a true pleasure," Booklist called "heartwarming," and the Dallas Morning News praised as "rich and funny" is now available in paperback. When Bob Tarte bought a house in rural Michigan, he was counting on a tranquil haven. Then Bob married Linda. She wanted a rabbit, which seemed innocuous enough until the bunny chewed through their electrical wiring. And that was just the beginning. Before long, Bob found himself constructing cages, buying feed, clearing duck waste, and spoon-feeding a menagerie of furry and feathery residents. His life of quiet serenity vanished, and he unwittingly became a servant to a relentlessly demanding family. "They dumbfounded him, controlled and teased him, took their share of his flesh, stole his heart" ( Kirkus Reviews ). Whether commiserating with Bob over the fate of those who are slaves to their animals or regarding his story as a cautionary tale about the rigors of animal ownership, readers on both sides of the fence have found Tarte's story of his chaotic squawking household irresistible--and irresistibly funny., When Bob Tarte left the city and bought a house in rural Michigan, he was counting on a tranquil life. At first, it was a little disorienting: Songbirds in the morning. Vultures sailing overhead by day. Raccoons prowling the property at night. But at least that was all outside, and he was (safely) inside. Then, Bob married Linda. She wanted a rabbit, which seemed, at the time, innocuous enough -- until the bunny chewed through their electrical wiring and then hid inside the wall, just beyond Bob's reach. But that was just the beginning. Wouldn't a parrot be fun? Linda said. Bob suddenly found himself constructing pens, cages, barriers; buying feed, scooping poop, spoonfeeding at mealtime. One day he realized that he no longer had a life of quiet serenity but had become a servant to a relentlessly demanding family: Stanley Sue, a gender-switching African grey parrot; Hector, a cantankerous shoulder-sitting Muscovy duck; Howard, an amorous ringneck dove; and a motley crew of others. Somehow, against every instinct in him, Bob had unwittingly become their slave. Bob Tarte's witty account reveals the truth of animal ownership: who really owns whom, the complicated logistics of accommodating many species under one roof, the intricate routines that evolve, and the distinct personalities of every animal in and around the house. Surprised by the way animals -- even cranky ones -- can wend their way into one's heart, Bob Tarte becomes, at last, a doting and proud animal lover. Book jacket.
9781565123519 English 1565123514 The book that Entertainment Weekly called "hilarious," Publishers Weekly declared "a true pleasure," Booklist called "heartwarming," and the Dallas Morning News praised as "rich and funny" is now available in paperback. When Bob Tarte bought a house in rural Michigan, he was counting on a tranquil haven. Then Bob married Linda. She wanted a rabbit, which seemed innocuous enough until the bunny chewed through their electrical wiring. And that was just the beginning. Before long, Bob found himself constructing cages, buying feed, clearing duck waste, and spoon-feeding a menagerie of furry and feathery residents. His life of quiet serenity vanished, and he unwittingly became a servant to a relentlessly demanding family. "They dumbfounded him, controlled and teased him, took their share of his flesh, stole his heart" ( Kirkus Reviews ). Whether commiserating with Bob over the fate of those who are slaves to their animals or regarding his story as a cautionary tale about the rigors of animal ownership, readers on both sides of the fence have found Tarte's story of his chaotic squawking household irresistible--and irresistibly funny., When Bob Tarte left the city and bought a house in rural Michigan, he was counting on a tranquil life. At first, it was a little disorienting: Songbirds in the morning. Vultures sailing overhead by day. Raccoons prowling the property at night. But at least that was all outside, and he was (safely) inside. Then, Bob married Linda. She wanted a rabbit, which seemed, at the time, innocuous enough -- until the bunny chewed through their electrical wiring and then hid inside the wall, just beyond Bob's reach. But that was just the beginning. Wouldn't a parrot be fun? Linda said. Bob suddenly found himself constructing pens, cages, barriers; buying feed, scooping poop, spoonfeeding at mealtime. One day he realized that he no longer had a life of quiet serenity but had become a servant to a relentlessly demanding family: Stanley Sue, a gender-switching African grey parrot; Hector, a cantankerous shoulder-sitting Muscovy duck; Howard, an amorous ringneck dove; and a motley crew of others. Somehow, against every instinct in him, Bob had unwittingly become their slave. Bob Tarte's witty account reveals the truth of animal ownership: who really owns whom, the complicated logistics of accommodating many species under one roof, the intricate routines that evolve, and the distinct personalities of every animal in and around the house. Surprised by the way animals -- even cranky ones -- can wend their way into one's heart, Bob Tarte becomes, at last, a doting and proud animal lover. Book jacket.