Jenny Willow: A Novel

Jenny Willow: A Novel

". . . an unusually heartwarming novel no reader can ever forget. Opening doors into the heart, Gaddis writes about love and loss and about the important small things that are missed unless one takes time to look closely. He spins a warm, gentle tale about dogs and about people." --Sanford (SC) Herald"It is a treasure, JENNY WILLOW, a rare find . . . one no selfrespecting sporting library should be without." --The NRA's American HunterBen Willow loves above all else setter dogs, the mountains of West Virginia, and grouse. At eighty-three years old, widowed and lonely, a twist of fortune brings one last setter into his life: Jenny, a pup of undeniable brilliance. Jenny proves to be the best bird dog Ben has ever known, but more important, she becomes the old man's reason to live. He hopes he can last her lifetime. The greatest betrayal to a gun dog is to deny her her reasons for being: her master, the gun, and the hunt.But when Ben's heart gives out while hunting, Jenny is suddenly alone on the mountain. A winter snowstorm comes in; Jenny is lost, attacked by a pack of wild dogs, and dog-napped by a sadistic hermit. Her hair-raising rescue by Ben's friend, Clyde-the local storekeeper-requires nothing less than murder.JENNY WILLOW is more than a dog story. Beautifully told, steeped in the wonders of the natural world, it is about the relationship between a man and a dog, one man's transcendent love of freedom, and the loyalty true friendship requires. No one who reads this first novel will ever forget Ben or Jenny Willow.Review"[Gaddis's] obvious love of the land, its creatures and his characters makes this book an endearing read."--Publishers Weekly"Once I started, I had a heck of a time putting it down and a couple of times I found the print getting blurry."--Flint, Mi, Journal"I got a great dog story, a fabulous dog story, indeed, one of the best dog stories I've ever read. Spun like poetry from the gifted pen of Mike Gaddis...the masterful writing of this book stands as a symbol, a testimony, to that most precious of relationships. It is a treasure, Jenny Willow, a rare find ... one no self-respecting sporting library should be without."--American Hunter"Jenny Willow covers a lot of country: the frontiers of human and canine courage; the mysterious geography of the heart; the high, lonely places where honor resides; and the steep paths that lead there. Powerful and unforgettable, a stunning debut, and a remarkable achievement" --The Pointing Dog Journal"A great and an unusually heartwarming novel no reader can ever forget. A warm, gentle tale."--The Herald (Sanford, NC)"It is destined to become one of the classics of modern literature. It is one of the most beautifully written books I've read. I laughed, cried and reacted in horror andhappiness as I read the beautiful writing of Mike Gaddis. I felt i was sitting at the feet of a master storyteller as I gasped in wonder at the courage of one little tri-color English setter...and the indomitable spirit of an old man named Ben Willow as they struggled to realize the final dream of the old man. I sure hope Mike Gaddis writes another book, and I hope he does it soon." -- GOUPSTATE.COM"The novel resonates with the hunt, death, murder, rescue and the utmost importance of human integrity. Beautifully told, Jenny Willow, steeped in the natural wonders of West Virginia's mountains, is about the relationship between a aman and a dog, one man's transcendent love of freedom and the loyalty true friendship requires." -- Dog and Kennel"Every bird dog owner loves a good dog story, or at least they should. In the grand tradition of Big Red, Call of the Wild, and Where the Red Fern Grows, and lesser known classics such as Run, Rainey Run, we have here an entertaining and introspective novel from the pen of Mike Gaddis. Mike weaves a great story, detailed and moving with characters and places every bird hunter has known. This fast reading tome pu