10 October

Beware of dog. Or of Izzy

by Jon Katz
Izzy barred

I think James Thurber would have loved the irony that bounds in Izzy being barred from the Thurber House during my book tour for “Rose In A Storm.” I guess i understand the Thurber House’s policy a bit – I always ask that people not bring dogs to my book readings, as it is distracting and unncessary, sometimes even dangerous.) But for the Thurber House to bar Izzy, a hospice therapy dog who has traveled all over the country, including to hospitals and nursing homes, well it seems a bit rigid. So I got determined to go to Columbus anyway.

The initial interest was met with a wave of indifference. I think it is healthy for a New York Times Bestseller, often asked to make appearances, to get barred or ignored. I posted this on FB and a small army of Ohioans got to work and made a lot of noise. Things are not quite firmed up yet, but it looks as if I will be somewhere in Columbus Sunday afternoon, at one of several bookstores, possibly the Book Loft in Germantown., a neighborhood of Columbus, possibly just north of the city at another bookstore. We’ll see. I did get through to the Book Loft today and they did seem to know who I was and are yakking about it. It would be great fun. I’ll get there one way or another, if we have to go to a dog park. And I don’t like dog parks, and neither does Izzy. We will honor Thurber, one way or another.

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