Laika, thanks for the rec. I'll be looking into it soon.
Both are non-fiction. I got ANIMALS MAKE US HUMAN by Temple Grandin after reading an article about her in the NYT, and am enjoying it. In fact, I may re-read it. Basically, it's about wolves and dogs, or, rather, dogs as descendants of wolves, their emotions and needs, how to fit them with "family". (And that info as possibly applicable to cats) . I plan to get a few others.
I'm also reading THE CASE AGAINST FRAGRANCE by Kate Grenville, suggested in the other thread. I'm very reactive to fragrance chemicals, and seeing this info in a "people friendly" format that is readable is welcome. However, I have seen the phrase "...scientists don't know...". My response is they either DO know, and keeping their job demands they don't, or, they are willfully ignorant. The known, expected reactions of humans to several common chemicals in fragrance products was published in early 1990s by Julia Kendal of California. Still available on the web and in the Material Safety Data Sheets required by the government for all kinds of ingredients, also available on the web. Google "MSDS for __name of chemical__ you are searching for. The MSDS are readable to, and often only aone page or so long. One place to find Kendall's list is
http://www.immuneweb.org/articles/perfume.html. In fact it was that list that helped me know what was happening to me in 1997-1998. I became totally, permanently, disabled by fragranced products, personal care, laundry, cleaning products. Later I wrote a murder mystery about using the toxins in fragrances to kill.
But I really like to read for pleasure, often prefer it over tv. Reading non-fiction sometimes makes me want to "do more, learn more". These dog books make me realize there's a LOT to learn, then I want to go apply the info. I'm no longer in circumstances that will allow me to do such things, but for me, learning doesn't stop. Hopefully I can apply it in a future life...