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mackenzie_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
I enjoyed the first half, when Tom had his first dog and then met Atticus - his antics and them getting to know each other was funny and engaging. I also liked reading about Tom and his newspaper, their relationship with townspeople, and the beginning of their hiking journey. But after a while the chapters began to run together with more of the same - hiking, lots of snow and dangerous conditions, an injury (sad) here and there. The author continually pointed out that his life was about to change. I found this memoir to be a bit inflated and repetitive.
sde's review against another edition
2.0
Probably not a fair book for me to review since I really am not a fan of animal stories, nor a big pet person. It was chosen for my non-fiction book group, and I am curious to hear what others in the group will have to say about this book.
I felt there was so much more that was interesting about the author that was only vaguely alluded to, the space instead being taken up with similar stories about the dog and the mountains. I would not be surprised to learn that this was a set of columns strung together to make a book because that's what it read like. The tantalizing bits about his family (father a widower left with 9 kids!!!!), Newburyport, the author's relationship with Paige, were what I wanted to learn more about. I guess I am just more interested in people than nature.
I grew up in Greater Boston, have often hiked in the White Mountains (although not in winter), had relatives in Medway, where the author grew up, and worked in the Kennedy Library, so those bits of local flavor were fun for me.
I felt there was so much more that was interesting about the author that was only vaguely alluded to, the space instead being taken up with similar stories about the dog and the mountains. I would not be surprised to learn that this was a set of columns strung together to make a book because that's what it read like. The tantalizing bits about his family (father a widower left with 9 kids!!!!), Newburyport, the author's relationship with Paige, were what I wanted to learn more about. I guess I am just more interested in people than nature.
I grew up in Greater Boston, have often hiked in the White Mountains (although not in winter), had relatives in Medway, where the author grew up, and worked in the Kennedy Library, so those bits of local flavor were fun for me.
canra's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
daleann's review against another edition
4.0
If you ever had a dog who was your best friend, this book is for you.
kokod's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed this book. It made me laugh and cry. It also fed my deepest desire to get a dog. That being said, Tom Ryan is clearly a newspaperman. The cliffhanger nature of each chapter's end lent a serialized feel to the book--which grew tiresome quickly. "Soon we'd have a run of better weather, but would it be enough to keep us on track?" (Pg 234) Also, I felt that certain aspects of the spirituality detracted from my overall enjoyment of the Tom and Atticus's tale; I found that Hardy got too caught up in the majesty of the mountains and how it had changed him--it didn't help that he mentioned it almost every chapter.
asegurasmith's review against another edition
5.0
If you have ever had a goal/quest and a dog this book will resonate. Appreciated Tom's honesty about his family relationships and sharing all that is good in communities.
jgoalder's review against another edition
4.0
A little long, and a touch overly emotional, but all in all a good read.
lazygal's review against another edition
3.0
This book was not one I thought would be as good as it was: I'm not a dog person, and my enjoyment of books like The Cat Who Went to Paris and Marley and Me was minimal. Having been dragged on many hikes when I was younger, my preference is for curling up with a good book and reading. Despite those qualms, there were many moments reading this when I turned to my cats and just had to hug them.
Those of us with pets understand the unconditional love they give and Atticus' love for Tom goes above that: the two connected on some incredibly deep level. Tom's decision to hike the 4,000'+ White Mountain peaks (both during the summer and winter) with his dog seems to be something short of madness, but clearly this is one mountain-loving dog. It's also heart-warming to see how Atticus touched the lives of the people in Tom's life and what an integral part of Newberyport's community he became. For those that enjoy hiking, Tom's descriptions of the various peaks - and climbs - will whet your appetite for the next climbing season.
What dropped this from a 4 to a 3 (or 3.5, I'm vacillating) is that Tom falls into the same trap I've seen that most reporters-turned-book authors get snarled in: too much repetition of information. "Characters" are introduced and reintroduced, and in some cases whole paragraphs are repeated in more than one chapter. That might not bother some, but it irritated me.
This would be the perfect gift for any hiking or dog lover in your lives.
ARC provided by publisher.
Those of us with pets understand the unconditional love they give and Atticus' love for Tom goes above that: the two connected on some incredibly deep level. Tom's decision to hike the 4,000'+ White Mountain peaks (both during the summer and winter) with his dog seems to be something short of madness, but clearly this is one mountain-loving dog. It's also heart-warming to see how Atticus touched the lives of the people in Tom's life and what an integral part of Newberyport's community he became. For those that enjoy hiking, Tom's descriptions of the various peaks - and climbs - will whet your appetite for the next climbing season.
What dropped this from a 4 to a 3 (or 3.5, I'm vacillating) is that Tom falls into the same trap I've seen that most reporters-turned-book authors get snarled in: too much repetition of information. "Characters" are introduced and reintroduced, and in some cases whole paragraphs are repeated in more than one chapter. That might not bother some, but it irritated me.
This would be the perfect gift for any hiking or dog lover in your lives.
ARC provided by publisher.
mazza57's review against another edition
4.0
This was a well written account of a man and his dog on the mountain trails. For the most part it maintained my interest but b bit repetitive .