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Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist and novelist Quindlen has recently met with tremendous success in the realm of short nonfiction with an inspirational and motivational bent. Recounting the life and death of her beloved Labrador retriever, Beau, she follows the same pattern. Quindlen masters a calm, thoughtful radio-essay style of delivery that nicely fits the introspective nature of her material, which includes some powerful ruminations on aging and mortality. Yet as a 45-minute stand-alone offering, the recording lacks the weight of a dramatic center, since Quindlen devotes such a large chunk of the fleeting allotment of time to setting the stage on the front end and offering reflection in conclusion. Somehow, it seems as though a two-for-one arrangement similar to the 2005 audiobook release pairing Quindlen's Being Perfect and A Short Guide to a Happy Life might have allowed for a broader and more fully realized sense of her unique gift for deeply personalized narrative.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.
Book Description
“The life of a good dog is like the life of a good person, only shorter and more compressed,” writes Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anna Quindlen about her beloved black Labrador retriever, Beau. With her trademark wisdom and humor, Quindlen reflects on how her life has unfolded in tandem with Beau’s, and on the lessons she’s learned by watching him: to roll with the punches, to take things as they come, to measure herself not in terms of the past or the future but of the present, to raise her nose in the air from time to time and, at least metaphorically, holler, “I smell bacon!”
Of the dog that once possessed a catcher’s mitt of a mouth, Quindlen reminisces, “there came a time when a scrap thrown in his direction usually bounced unseen off his head. Yet put a pork roast in the oven, and the guy still breathed as audibly as an obscene caller. The eyes and ears may have gone, but the nose was eternal. And the tail. The tail still wagged, albeit at half-staff. When it stops, I thought more than once, then we’ll know.”
Heartening and bittersweet, Good Dog. Stay. honors the life of a cherished and loyal friend and offers us a valuable lesson on our four-legged family members: Sometimes an old dog can teach us new tricks.
Of the dog that once possessed a catcher’s mitt of a mouth, Quindlen reminisces, “there came a time when a scrap thrown in his direction usually bounced unseen off his head. Yet put a pork roast in the oven, and the guy still breathed as audibly as an obscene caller. The eyes and ears may have gone, but the nose was eternal. And the tail. The tail still wagged, albeit at half-staff. When it stops, I thought more than once, then we’ll know.”
Heartening and bittersweet, Good Dog. Stay. honors the life of a cherished and loyal friend and offers us a valuable lesson on our four-legged family members: Sometimes an old dog can teach us new tricks.
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Most helpful customer reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
First Class,
By Samuel Clemens (Florida, MO) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Good Dog. Stay. (Hardcover)
I couldn't wait for this book to come out. I got it from the store first thing today and it's even better than I expected. Anna Quindlen has a fantastic writing style and a way of drawing you deep into her thoughts; so much so that you become overwhelmed with feeling. I love the way she relates the love for her dog with real life philosophies. Just reading this book made me appreciate all the loved ones in my life even more (including my dog). At less than a hundred pages long it's a very quick and enjoyable read. It's now my favorite of all her works.Another good book of philosophy is Understanding: Train of Thought.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
An Essay about Anna, Her Family, and Her Labrador, Beau,
By Donald Mitchell "Jesus Loves You!" (Thanks for Providing My Reviews over 112,000 Helpful Votes Globally) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER) (#1 HALL OF FAME)
This review is from: Good Dog. Stay. (Hardcover)
With illustrations, "Good Dog. Stay." is 84 pages of double-spaced type on small pages. It's 28 full pages and 3 partial ones of text. That's less than 6,000 words or a little more than a chapter in most nonfiction books. This has to be one of the most expensive books in terms of cost per word published in 2007.Now, if the other pages in the book had been filled with images of Ms. Quindlen, her family, and Beau, that would have been one thing. But unless I've forgotten what a Labrador retriever looks like, these aren't photographs of Beau (except in a handful of cases, maybe). Instead, there's lots of good dog photography reproduced on pages too small to take full advantage of the work. Naturally, we would all love to know what lessons Ms. Quindlen gained from living with Beau. Read what follows for those insights: " . . . to roll with the punches . . . to take things as they come, to measure myself . . . in terms of the present, to raise my nose in the air from time to time and, at least metaphorically, holler, "I smell bacon!" While it was a pleasant trip (during the brief time while it lasted), I can't say I would recommend this book for purchase to anyone except: 1. People who feel compelled to read every word Anna Quindlen writes and 2. Those who adore Labrador retrievers. Otherwise, you can skip this one . . . or read it standing up in a book store while you enjoy a cup of coffee of hot chocolate.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
3.5 out of 5 stars (77 customer reviews) 63 of 66 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Honoring a hound with humor and sensitivity,
By Richard Cumming "dick" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Good Dog. Stay. (Hardcover)
Anna Quindlen has written a succulent tribute to her beloved black Lab, Beau. It's funny, and fond, sentimentally delightful, a fitting honor to a dog who lived a long life.There isn't any whining here. She makes you laugh as she recalls the pup who spent so many happy days and when he grew old could still get excited about the scent of pork roast in the oven. When it was his time to go they said goodbye with dignity. The many photos of dogs enhance this pithy homage to a wonderful dog. Quindlen is not adequately appreciated for her sense of humor. She is one of our leading literary stylists. This book will be treasured by many dog lovers. 61 of 69 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Dissapointingly short,
By Richard Piatt "Rick Piatt" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Good Dog. Stay. (Hardcover)
I purchased this book to be quite honest because the picture of Beau on the cover reminded me so much of my dog Shelly who I had to put down 1-1/2 years ago. I don't know exactly what I hoped for when I purchased this book other than perhaps a loving, funny, retrospective on the life and times of a Black Lab. I guess to a certain extent that is exactly what this book is however there is so little text between all those photos that I can't help but feel that I've been cheated. First off the book is small. Then about half of the pages (or more!) are photos. The text is double spaced. If this had been printed more like any other book it would have taken up perhaps 20 pages total. Somehow, that is just not enough reminiscing for me! I want to hear more of Beau's adventures. I want to hear more about how he aged and how he dealt with Bea (the Quindlen's Yellow Lab companion for Beau). I want more! What little is there is moderately interesting but it lacks the 'wisdom learned through experience' I had imagined I might find between the pages. Overall the book was a disappointment (obviously) and not one I'm likely to read again. But I sure would have loved a chance to say hi to Beau regardless of how bad his book is!
18 of 19 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
A lovely read,
By L. D Sears - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Good Dog. Stay. (Hardcover)
I have to be quite honest. I read this whole "book" at my local bookstore and did not spend a dime on it! Part of the problem is that, though it is selling as a book, what it really is is a quite lovely, funny and moving essay about some of Ms. Quindlen's life with Beau, her Lab. I own a Lab and feel about mine the same way Ms. Quindlen does about hers. Like other reviewers here, I do wish that she would expand this essay into a real book--and that I would buy. But for now, I can recommend this book to all dog owners--and certainly to any of you who enjoy your Lab as much as I do mine. Read it, for sure--the purchasing of it, quite honestly, I have to leave up to you.
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