The Joy of Lex: Life with a Service Dog by John Clark ... Black Lab Books

The Joy of Lex
Life with a Service Dog

John Thomas Clark

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Price: $19.95

Paperback | 128 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9819463-0-6

Summary

“The Joy of Lex: Life with a Service Dog” is a light-hearted romp recounting life with Lex, a black Lab. Beginning with Lexie’s being teamed with the author, and their schooling together at Canine Companions for Independence, the book then offers glimpses at their life together at home and shows how they interact with the outside world. Its vignettes, all accompanied by color photographs, describe life with the best service dog in the world: they reveal how Lex works - tugging off the author’s socks, opening a door, turning on a light, picking up the author’s dropped mouthstick, and more tasks Lex was trained to perform. They even reveal how this intelligent dog performs tasks he was not trained to do, as when he saved the author from certain injury by righting the author’s wheelchair during a serious mishap. These poems also show how Lex plays and they demonstrate his marvelous personality. Sonnets in various forms, they are all straightforward; there is nothing deep in them except for the profound love the author has for this wonderful dog who brings so much joy to his life. Dean Koontz, the author of many best sellers, said in his Introduction for The Joy of Lex, “In this collection of sonnets, John Thomas Clark captures perfectly the details of his life with an assistance dog, relishes the beauty of small moments, and celebrates the grace that waits for us in every moment of the day if only we will open our eyes and our hearts to the recognition of it.” Derek Mahon, a foremost poet of Ireland whose work enjoys worldwide acclaim, has said in his back-cover testimonial for The Joy of Lex, “I am honoured to be associated with this book ... It is... a pleasure to recommend this accomplished and original poet.”

About the Author

Retiring from elementary school teaching in New York City due to the dynamics of Progressive Spinal Muscular Atrophy, the author was the first person to earn a Master’s in English/Creating Writing from Queens College, NY through its Homebound Program. Utilizing a mouthstick to write and working primarily in sonnets and crowns, the author has had poems published in more than forty journals on subjects as diverse as Lex - his Service Dog, disabilities, growing up in The Bronx, the Bronx River, the art of Edvard Munch, the NASA Space Program and the writing life. Also among his published poetry are works with Celtic and Irish themes - subjects on which he has lectured. He is looking forward to publishing his novel of fifth-century Ireland entitled "The Captivity of Saint Patrick."

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