Now and then we come across a book that we think will have broad appeal to our friends and readers on the site, even though it’s not a fishing book.  Here’s one of those books.

Merle’s Door highlights the fascinating and real life story of the author Ted Kerasote (National Outdoor Book Award winner) and the dog he met while camping in southern Utah.  The dog - a labrador mix / mut -  was apparently living alone in the wild.  Kerasote and the dog, later named Merle, become attached and return to Wyoming.

Kerasote wisely recognzied Merle’s freewheeling history, and installed a dog door in his home so that Merle could come and go as he pleased.  The results were quite interesting.

This book has particular appear to us living in Bozeman - one of those western outposts where dogs are treated as humans (maybe even better sometimes) and granted high ranking positions in the family and community.  

The overriding theme of this book is the great love that develops between Merle and Kerasote, and the story is insightful, funny, and at times sad, but very reflective of the world in which we live.  The book provides a very refreshing look at human-dog relationships with human-human relationship implications. 

Kerasote may tend to anthropomorphize Merle’s every movement and look, but the book is so well written - it’s easy to overlook, and hey, my dog does all the same things!

The only criticisms we could find written about the book by other reviewers are the references to hunting - those yahoos need to realize hunting is a way of life in the West, and central to this wonderful story. 

Not just for dog lovers - this is a great story of friendship and love, and will be enjoyed by your entire family.

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