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62 HOOK Chicken Soup for the Soul: Best Dog Ever By Amy New- mark. The Chicken Soup for the Soul books have enter- tained, informed, and touched us for over 30 years. Their newest entry shares the joys and foibles of the species o$en called humanity's best friend, the dog. The book brings readers 101 individual stories of our canine companions that enchant, amaze, and cheer the dog lover in all of us. Her tome is divided into 12 sec3ons ranging from 'Natural Therapist' to 'Who Res- cued Whom?' to 'Saying Goodbye.' Each sec3on con- tains a number of heartwarming stories that will instantly connect with anyone who has ever lived with a dog. There are stories of steadfast protectors and house- hold champions; stories of poor, bedraggled rescues who become shining beacons of health and vitality; and stories of par3ng ways with a lifelong friend. There's the tale of the dog that wakes everyone up when she realizes that one of her humans was in need of medical a4en3on. A story about a dog that decides that her humans should have a regular bed3me and manages to enforce her wishes each and every night. Taken together, this collec3on of mini anecdotes (about 2-3 pages per story) runs the gamut of human emo3on. You will laugh, you will cry, you will cheer, and you will never look at dogs the same way again. There is a more than surprising amount of intelligence and personality, and are in so many cases good role models for us, welcomed family members. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Best Dog Ever does a wonderful job of shining a welcome light on our world together. Fi$y Plants that Changed the Course of History by Bill Laws. Humans have long made use of the plant life around them. We eat them, we wear them, we use them to build shelter, they provide medicine, commerce, decora3on, and so much more. If plants disappeared overnight, humankind would quickly follow. In Fi$y Plants that Changed the Course of His- tory, social historian Bill Laws dives into the stories of fi$y in- fluen3al plants that have guided the growth of our civiliza3ons. The list is, itself, eye-opening. There are the expected food staples, such as rice, potato, corn, and common wheat, of course, but also unexpected inclusions such as crab apple, white willow, and saffron. Each entry begins with categorizing the individual plant into one or more of four specific areas: edible, medicinal, commercial, or prac3cal. What follows is a brief discussion of the origins of humankind's cul3va3on of the plant and its overall impact on our development. For ex- ample, the sec3on on Pineapple discusses not only the plant's sweet taste and popularity, but also how Europeans' a4empt to find ways to grow the tropical fruit in non-tropical climates ul3mately gave rise to the crea3on of the first green- houses. Other entries discuss some of the darker side of hu- mankind's obsession with plantlife. Chapters on Coca and the Opium Poppy, discuss our species' dangerous manipula3ons of them, and how it has both shaped and torn down en3re cultures. Western empires forcing China to legalize opium, for example, led to the downfall of a 300 year-old dynasty. The damage done from the seemingly-harmless sugarcane plant is worldwide, and con3nues to this day. The book is a sober- ing reminder that while most of nature's gi$s are beneficial, we have an impressive ability to warp and abuse those same gi$s to our own detriment. Fi$y Plants that Changed the Course of History is an engag- ing, enlightening tome that will open your eyes to the won- ders growing all around you and sharpen your understanding of how they have impacted human civiliza3on.

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