The Vet at Noah’s Ark: Stories of Survival from an Inner-City Animal Hospital

James Herriot set high standards for veterinarians sharing their personal journeys, but this memoir by veterinarian Mader holds its own; told over the course of a year in Los Angeles in the midst of the Rodney King beating and subsequent riots, it matches humor with heartbreak. Each chapter introduces a new intern to the animal hospital for the month. Clients and their beloved pets (including a dealer and his guinea pig) serve as recurring characters or simple anecdotes as the author and his team solve mysterious ailments and grapple with ethical issues, such as illegally owned ferrets. Readers who love animals will appreciate the book, although they should be prepared for tough scenes, especially where it portrays the cruelty of humans to animals, and humans to humans; the graphic detail can be upsetting, plus there’s some harsh language. Beyond the emotional issues, some readers might find it difficult to follow the book due to its many storylines and extraneous information.