My Favourite Books With Dogs
Happy Friday!
I hope you are having a great week so far.
I took a few weeks off because we are still in lockdown and it was getting difficult to find things to write about haha. It's hard to write about our adventures abroad when we aren't having any. From Monday some restrictions were lifted in Melbourne, and we are now able to exercise outside for two hours a day, and curfew was extended until 9:00 pm.
This weekend the weather is supposed to be beautiful! Hopefully, it won't be too stifling to go for a long walk with my mask on. Luckily the beach is within 5 km so we can head that way and enjoy the fresh air and change of scenery.
I’ve shared about missing my family and friends back in Canada, but I am also really missing ‘my’ dog, Jack. He is the cuddliest dog and he loves me because I take him on lots of walks, but when I try to talk to him over Facetime he couldn’t care less haha.
I’m a sucker for a good dog story but they will always make me cry. A happy story or a sad ending, it doesn’t matter, there will always be tears.
Today I am sharing some of my favourite books about dogs. And in writing this post, I realised that there are movies adapted from most of these books. I know what I’ll be watching this weekend!
The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Enzo is a very special dog who takes stock of his life on the eve of his death. As he recalls all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices his master, Denny Swift—an up-and-coming race car driver—has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side. Having gained tremendous insight into the human condition, Enzo discovers that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life.
Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan
Is it possible for humans to discover the key to happiness through a bigger-than-life, bad-boy dog? Just ask the Grogans. John and Jenny were just beginning their life together. They were young and in love, with not a care in the world. Then they brought home Marley, a wiggly yellow furball of a puppy. Life would never be the same.
Marley grew into a barreling, ninety-seven-pound streamroller of a Labrador retriever. He crashed through screen doors, gouged through drywall, and stole women's undergarments. Obedience school did no good -- Marley was expelled. But just as Marley joyfully refused any limits on his behavior, his love and loyalty were boundless, too. Marley remained a model of devotion, even when his family was at its wit's end. Unconditional love, they would learn, comes in many forms.
A Dog’s Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh-out-loud funny, A Dog's Purpose is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog's many lives, but also a dog's-eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This moving and beautifully crafted story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.
A Dog’s Way Home by W. Bruce Cameron
With four hundred miles of dangerous Colorado wilderness separating one brave dog from her beloved person, Bella sets off on a seemingly impossible and completely unforgettable adventure home.
A Dog’s Way Home is a beautifully told, charming tale that explores the unbreakable bond between us and those we love. This is a fantastic and exhilarating journey of the heart that brilliantly speaks to the incredible power of love and resilience of spirit that tie us together--making it a perfect gift for everyone who's ever loved a dog.
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
An instant classic when it was first published in 1903, The Call of the Wild is a thrilling frontier adventure and uniquely American ode to the power of nature. The story begins at the dawn of the Klondike Gold Rush, when capable sled dogs are in high demand.
Half–St. Bernard and half–sheep dog Buck is stolen from an estate in California’s idyllic Santa Clara Valley and shipped north. Beset by the harsh conditions of the Yukon, the recklessness of his owners, and the ruthlessness of the other dogs, Buck must learn to recover his primitive instincts in order to survive. But when he forms a special bond with a prospector named John Thornton, Buck is torn between two worlds: that of his human companion, and the relentless, beckoning wilderness.
Have a great weekend.
