Barking Her Way to the Top: A Collie Pursues a Career in the Civil Service

by Howard Rowland

A work of humorous fiction in which a super-intelligent collie, that understands both Russian and English, is hired by a U.S. military language institute in California as a Russian teacher, then gets... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1877809810
• ISBN13: 9781877809811
• Release Date: September 2000
• Publisher: Park Place Publications
• Length: 284 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A grown-ups' collie story

"Lassie Come Home" is for kids; "Barking Her Way to the Top" is a grown-ups' collie story. Dog lovers, convinced their dogs are smarter than we give them credit for, can't help but laugh at the heroine Kukushka's treatment of her "dumb animal." Howard Rowland really got the collie personality down, pant. I mean, "pat." Since it's written by someone familiar with the excesses and clever hindsight government bureaucracies serve up, this book will also find fans among bureaucratic employees who think there might be a better way around all the red tape of their jobs.

You will NOT read another book like this.

Rarely do you get as strong a feeling of an author so delighted as he wrote, positively grinning ear to ear. Refreshingly un-PC at times, Howard Rowland takes you on a quirky and surreal ride that unleashes an insider's contempt of government bureaucracy, as well as the depth of his love for the canine and linguistic worlds.I'd highly recommend this tour de force, I enjoyed it immensely.

Man Hypes Dog

Anyone who loves animals and scorns bureaucracy will find "Barking Her Way to the Top" a treat. Our heroine, Kukushka, is a beautiful female collie with an unusual ambition, and the talent to realize it. Together with her master (?) and co-conspirator, one Roger Pyle, Ph.D., she sets out to be more than "just a house dog," and in the process turns a Government institute on its ear. That this institute lurches between political correctness and ingrained devotion to regulations, makes it ripe for the machinations of this dynamic duo. Dr. Pyle is a seemingly "normal" academic, and polyfluent (no kidding) linguist. His deceptive charm masks a truly Machiavellian cunning and inventiveness. When danger to his canine beauty turns her professor protector into a beast, he morphs into a slavering fanged avenger! Here the plot becomes thick with psychological, and even supernatural complications. A multinational cast of characters careens through these wittily illustrated pages, provoking grins and groans by turns. Most of all, this book--despite its surface risibility--shows to what lengths a man will go to honor his beloved animal companion.

"Credible Journey"

Mr. Rowland makes the journey of this intelligent dog working her way to the top of a prestigious government language school in the Monterey area surprisingly credible. Read it. And enjoy it. I did.

[woof woof woof]

A charming read for anyone who acknowledges the true intelligence and potential of their dog friend. The author also explores the idea that perhaps these animals help us in deeper ways than any of us realize. And by doing so redefines what truly makes up a family as we travel through our lives.