In My Life With Amazing Animals, John Bertucci invites readers on a joyful romp through his Louisiana childhood and adult years, told through the unforgettable animals that shaped his life. Whether it's Pepper, the Houdini cocker spaniel-poodle who brought his tough Sicilian father to tears, or Brad the bad-ass rooster with a vendetta against neighborhood bullies, Bertucci's stories are as much about people as they are about pets.
Growing up amid the swamps and suburbs of Gretna, New Orleans, and Terrytown, Bertucci's family welcomed a revolving cast of creatures- dogs who rode in wagons and outsmarted mini bikes, rabbits who ruled the house and nipped at English setters, chickens with attitude, and ducks that responded to their names. Each animal brought out a different side of family life, from his father's unspoken tenderness to the sibling rivalries and backyard adventures that defined a generation.
The memoir blends laugh-out-loud misadventures with moments of quiet wonder. Bertucci recounts being rescued by guardian angels from a treehouse fall, learning about responsibility through his son's aquarium obsession, and discovering the secret intelligence of horses, ducks, and even a piano-playing chicken. Alongside the comedy-wild pig hunts gone wrong, crabs escaping backyard boils, and a sun conure soccer star-are reflections on love, loss, and what it means to belong.
Bertucci's voice is warm and self-deprecating, with a knack for turning everyday chaos into poignant life lessons. Whether confronting the grief of losing a beloved pet or navigating the quirks of his Sicilian-American clan, he finds meaning in the smallest encounters: a dog's loyalty, a rabbit's stubbornness, the way wild animals become family, and how animals teach us to listen, forgive, and dream.
Part coming-of-age tale, part tribute to the animal kingdom's unsung heroes, My Life With Amazing Animals is a celebration of the mess, magic, and meaning found in a life lived alongside creatures great and small. For anyone who's ever loved a pet-or been outsmarted by one-this memoir of 33 true stories is a reminder that animals don't just share our homes, but help us discover the best in ourselves.
