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ezreaadingo's review against another edition
5.0
I thought this book was so good! It was very creative of Jennifer to, basically, tell the story of her life through the digs in her life. This book is, at times; hilarious, sad, inspiring, and critical. Great book for any dog lover!
beastreader's review against another edition
1.0
To say that I am disappointed about this book would be an understatement. I thought this book would be heavily focused on the various dogs that entered Jennifer's life throughout the years. Instead this was more about her family with brief mentions about the dogs.
Not to take away anything from Jennifer or her family. As this is her book and she can tell it how she wants. Yet, I agree with other readers that this book did seem disjointed in the writing and layout of it. It seemed to bounce around. Plus, the biggest factor of the dogs. I can't hardly remember any of the dogs names. Therefore I did not become as closely to them as I wanted. I was hoping to do so as a dog lover. In addition, I thought I might shed some tears. Sadly, this book was not for me.
Not to take away anything from Jennifer or her family. As this is her book and she can tell it how she wants. Yet, I agree with other readers that this book did seem disjointed in the writing and layout of it. It seemed to bounce around. Plus, the biggest factor of the dogs. I can't hardly remember any of the dogs names. Therefore I did not become as closely to them as I wanted. I was hoping to do so as a dog lover. In addition, I thought I might shed some tears. Sadly, this book was not for me.
bmpicc's review against another edition
3.0
I do feel this is worth reading, but will admit it felt a bit disjointed(?). Rather than following a simply path (birth, childhood, young adult, adult), it bounces back and forth at odd moments. My favorite takeaway is the idea of not-so-perfect dogs still deserving love and making their mark on our lives. I have read a LOT of "isn't my dog perfect" books that left me looking at my dogs thinking, "but my baby has... charm!" :)
Boylan is the same author who wrote 'She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders' which I loved. This memoir touches on moments from that memoir, but does not dive in as deep.
"And yet, as it turns out, nothing is harder than loving human beings."
"You know," she said to me, "I think that maybe, just once, we might have a dog that is not insane."
"Days in a house with children grind like glaciers, but the years rush by like wind."
Boylan is the same author who wrote 'She's Not There: A Life in Two Genders' which I loved. This memoir touches on moments from that memoir, but does not dive in as deep.
"And yet, as it turns out, nothing is harder than loving human beings."
"You know," she said to me, "I think that maybe, just once, we might have a dog that is not insane."
"Days in a house with children grind like glaciers, but the years rush by like wind."
mbscudder's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
mawalker1962's review against another edition
5.0
I adored this book. I first read Jenny Boylan's columns in the Chronicle for Higher Ed back in the early 2000s, not long after she came out as a trans woman. I admired her sensitivity, clarity of language, and honesty. I've been reading her New York Times columns for a while now, too. (She's in the opinion pages every other Wednesday.) I had not read any of her books, but when I heard Terri Gross interview her on Fresh Air, I added this one to my list. It's wise, funny and poignant by turns, and deep testimony about the bonds between humans and their dogs.
smalltownbookmom's review against another edition
4.0
A really heartfelt (and often humorous) memoir from a trans woman who shares their journey spending a large portion of their life as a boy/man. Told in a series of essays that tie in to various dogs they owned. Highly recommended especially for fans of Love lives here (another memoir of a trans woman who transitions after marriage and children). Great on audio narrated Kelsey Navarro and the author.
zellm's review against another edition
3.0
I felt that this book, although organized by dog, did not have as much to do with the dogs as I would have liked. Additionally, Boylan at times seems to be almost annoyed by or resentful of the dogs which, although truthful, seems to counter the message of the story. This was an interesting memoir but ultimately missed the mark for me.