Kinky Friedman offers look at pets, people who love them

  Musician, novelist, candidate for governor of Texas, Kinky Friedman is a man of many facets, but his love of animals is probably his most endearing. His Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch in the Hill Country of Texas is known for saving the lives of animals that might have otherwise been put down.
  The “Kinkstah” has taken his love of animals as inspiration and written a fascinating new book, “Kinky’s Celebrity Pet Files.” Gathering stories from more than 35 of his close friends, acquaintances and other folks he admires, along with photographs to accompany each short essay, Friedman presents a lively look at pets and the people who love them.
  Among the pet lovers are icons of the music world — singer/songwriter and fellow Texan Jerry Jeff Walker and his cute-as-a-bug Maltese Coco; Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and his menagerie of more than 20 miniature dogs; rock ’n’ roll legend Fats Domino and his bichon frise Winnie the Pooh, and of course, Friedman’s longtime friend Willie Nelson and his rescued horses.
  Friedman’s fellow writers, Clive Cussler, Joseph Heller and Tom Robbins, also share their stories of beloved pets, as do actors F. Murray Abraham, Lily Tomlin and Jim Nabors. Birds also make the cut in this collection of short stories, including Billy Bob Thornton’s mynah bird Alice and the late Dom DeLuise’s flock of feathered pals.
  The world of Vegas isn’t left out with inclusions from Penn Jillette and his amazing turtles, Teller’s blue spiny lizards and Donny Osmond with his ferocious Yorkie, Spike. Stories of Hemingway’s Black Dog, Mark Twain’s kitten Bambino, Winston Churchill’s dog Rufus and Johnny Cash’s beloved pig Snorkles also are represented here among people who Friedman has admired but who have long journeyed over the Rainbow Bridge to be reunited with their animals.
  The story that touched me most was Friedman’s story of his much-loved cat, Cuddles. A faithful companion for more than 14 years, you can feel the love that this enigmatic man had for his pet through his short but heart-felt remembrance. There is a heart under that black hat after all.
  “Kinky’s Celebrity Pet Files” is a delightful collection of short stories for animal lovers, celebrity fans as well as admirers of Kinky Friedman himself.