Reviewer Michelle Kaye Malsbury:
Michelle was born in Champaign, IL. Currently, she resides in Asheville, NC
and is in her second year of doctoral studies at Nova Southeastern
University in Ft. Lauderdale with specialization/concentration in
conflict resolution and peace studies. She has over six hundred
articles published on the web and one book published thus far with
many more in the wings. Hobbies include; reading, writing, music, and
playing with her Australian Cattle Dog, Abu.
Authors: Carey
Neesley and Michael Levin
Publisher: A Readers Digest Book
ISBN: 978-1-62145-116-7
Authors: Carey
Neesley and Michael Levin
Publisher: A Readers Digest Book
ISBN: 978-1-62145-116-7
Casey Neesley, author of Mama & Boris, worked for Hospice as a social worker. (2013, Inside back cover) She is the sister of the soldier (Peter) who cared enough about the war-torn animals in Baghdad to inspire a network to save them, even after his untimely death on Christmas Day. Casey so loved her brother that she brought his canine companions back to the USA to live with her and her son Patrick in Michigan.
Michael Levin, co-author of Mama & Boris, is a best-selling New York Times author. He resides in Orange County, California with his family.
This book opens with shared memories of the childhood escapades between a brother and sister who grew up extremely close and supportive of one another. Life was simple and fun for these two in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Life has a way of handing us whatever we can to learn and grow. Casey and Peter both embraced the challenges that life dealt them and grew stronger for them.
Before Peter became a soldier he helped Casey, who is a single mother, to rear her only son, Patrick. His impression on his nephew at this time is memorable and bittersweet. She and Peter spoke at regular intervals during his deployment to Europe and eventually the war in Iraq. Peter often told her about his experiences in these new and interesting destinations. She listened with awe even while he heart ached for Peter to come back to the states.
Peter told Casey about his fortune with a mother stray and her four pups. She could hear the love Peter felt in saving these poor animals from a life less rich. Three of the pups died early on. Peter was crestfallen, but vowed even more ardently to create a good and loving life for this stray mother and her pup in his home away from home in the war-torn country of Iraq.
Casey knew that Peter faced danger each and every day that he was in Baghdad. She always prayed that he would be safe. One fateful Christmas morning her world would be turned up-side-down. As she and Patrick were about to open gifts underneath the Christmas tree she noted that two standard-issue Army type men had just driven up to the curb in front of her home. Her heart sunk. She knew what these two Army men signified especially on such a celebratory day.
Casey wondered how she might get by without Peter in her life. She made Peter’s pets her priority and began planning how she might bring them back to the USA and into her life.
To
learn more about this happy tale read this book and enjoy the love
and friendship this brother and sister shared. I enjoyed it and
believe you will too!
