Customer Reviews

IT'S A DOG'S LIFE: THE OCCASIONAL JOURNAL OF A FOUR-LEGGED CYNIC

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is, of course, a tale told from the perspective of Peter Mayle's dog Boy. Given that information, you know it's more than a wee bit cutesy. But Peter Mayle is good--he keeps the book from being so pink you need the Pepto-Bismol. Dog lovers can't help but enjoy it, because we too are more than a wee bit cutesy about our canines. Quick, relaxing read for a quiet evening.

He did not have an auspicious start in life - his lineage was questionable, his father deserted him prior to his birth, and, after bursting into this hard scrabble world, he had to fight his 12 brothers and sisters for every dollop of milk.

Nonetheless, Boy, Peter Mayle's beloved canine, overcame these earthly vicissitudes to lead a very cushy life in the south of France. So delighted is Boy with the way things have turned out that he wants to tell us all about it, and he does in the rib tickling "A Dog's Life."

Now, Boy is no ordinary stray pooch who wins the hearts of an affluent couple. Boy is a manipulating, crafty, sly four-footed friend who twists his master and mistress around his begging paw.

Edward Koren's drawings bring this shaggy shyster to life as Boy shares his attempts to be dog-master of all he surveys, his romantic trysts, his run-in with arch enemy, Hepzibah, the house cat, and his disdain for Homo Sapiens, although they are necessary to toss him under the table tidbits.

Peter Mayle is in top form, delivering a warm, witty, over-too-soon read. I highly recommend it.

- Gail Cooke

A Dog's Life by Peter Mayle is a hilarious canine confessional giving us a glimpse from the view on all fours. "Boy" (a stray who was adopted by the author in Provence) has a clearly defined, condescendingly sophisticated French voice that throughout the book provides us with witty, entertaining commentary on human actions and human nature...from the point of view of man's best friend. His caustic, biting wit is evident from the very beginning of the book: "My story is based on actual events. However, following the current autobiographical custom adopted by politicians in their memoirs, I have adjusted the truth wherever it might reflect unfavorably on myself (Author's Note)."

Facetious and urbane, Boy recounts his numerous adventures: his humble beginnings at the "limited outlets of the maternal bosom", "mano a mano" wrangles with the cat in the garage, run-ins with French plumbers and dilettante painters, "ordeal by chicken", and finally becoming a full-fledged member of the Mayle household. We also hear his acute observations on the foibles and idiosyncrasies of everyday living with his biped "masters", as well as what he has to say about babies, cats, hygiene, poodles, crime and punishment, and "vets who insist on taking one's temperature the old fashioned way."

The humorous, quirky drawings by Edward Koren are an added bonus and really capture as well as enhance the story's flavor.

While A Dog's Life is definitely an enjoyable read, it is not to be mistaken for one of those sweet, feel-good stories with a happy ending that pulls on the reader's heartstrings. This book is by no means a saccharine paean to the dog, rather it is an ironic satire on humans and their habits and eccentricities, using a canine's perspective as a pretext. It may even make you stop and ponder the unconditional love and unfaltering loyalty you receive from your own pet (Boy explains that humans are a dog's "most convenient support system").

Being an animal lover, I particularly enjoyed this "dog memoir". I was able to relate much of Boy's actions (particularly the "seven gestures of appeasement") to those of my own adopted stray, Pixel. A Dog's Life is a must-read for anyone who owns a dog. Four paws up!

Anyone who has read Mayle's non-fiction "Provence" books has already been introduced to his dog "Boy". However, A Dog's Life, goes into great detail into Boy's life--from birth to middle age (in dog years). It is well written and truly funny. If you're a dog lover like me, you'll find yourself chuckling and nodding in agreement throughout the book.

(Rosie, my Labrador, gives this book Five Biscuits!)

This book has brought me pleasure time and again as I re-read it, either cover to cover or just a random chapter to put a smile on my face. Whatever pretense of griping about his dogs Mayle puts on in his Provence series, his cover is blown now. This book allows us silly humans to understand how an intelligent mutt with extraordinary inner beauty sees the world, his humans, and the show dog down the road - with warts, body odor and all.

I am a Peter Mayle fan. However, I was less entranced with this book than with some of his other works [ie: A Year in Provence; Hotel Pastis, and others]. A Dog's Life gives me the impression that Mayle is running a bit low on new ideas.

Take a quick look at this book and you might think it belongs in the children's section of the library. Not so. While there is no profanity, a few sections are inappropriate for kids. I read it and found it rather boring... and I even like slapstick comedy. Save your money.

This book was absolutely hysterical. Peter Mayle is one of the most entertaining and talented writers around. It is one of my favorite books.

A truly enjoyable book and view of life through a dog's eyes and the analogies between dogs and people's lives.

This book is an absolute pleasure. While written from a four-legged perspective, Boy's insights into human nature are unerring. He sees us for what we are, sometimes generous and kind, other times selfish and hypocritical. But Boy remains steadfast and loyal, forgiving us our foibles and focusing on the good. His is an example we can all learn from.