|
Dog Years: A Memoir (P.S.) | 
| Author: Mark Doty
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
Buy New: $7.58
You Save: $6.37 (46%)
New (28) Used (9) from $7.58
Avg. Customer Rating:  25 reviews
Sales Rank: 12656
Media: Paperback
Edition: Reprint
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 256
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.8
ISBN: 0061171018
Dewey Decimal Number: 920
EAN: 9780061171017
ASIN: 0061171018
Publication Date: April 1, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: 100% Brand New! - Ships Today! Identical to Amazon's book in every way. Flawless! Not a cheap Remainder or Book Club Copy! *We recommend Expedited Shipping option for much faster mail delivery
|
| Also Available In:
|
| Similar Items:
|
| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
When Mark Doty decides to adopt a dog as a companion for his dying partner, he brings home Beau, a large, malnourished golden retriever in need of loving care. Joining Arden, the black retriever, to complete their family, Beau bounds back into life. Before long, the two dogs become Doty's intimate companions, and eventually the very life force that keeps him from abandoning all hope during the darkest days. Dog Years is a poignant, intimate memoir interwoven with profound reflections on our feelings for animals and the lessons they teach us about living, love, and loss.
|
| Customer Reviews: Read 20 more reviews...
 Simply superb. February 19, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Mark Doty has penned an absolute gem of a memoir that touches not only on our umbreakable bonds with our animals, but also with our mates and the many places that we will call "home" throughout our lives - and the grief that we all must embrace and learn from in the loss of all of these. His story of Wally, Arden and Beau is a masterpiece of the heartfelt thoughts and feelings that all dog owners will experience if they are lucky enough to be loved unconditionally by one, or more, beloved human beings and furry angels.
In Chapter 15, after the recent death of his mate, Wally, and one of his dogs, Beau, Doty tells us of an abandoned dog that he befriends on Calle Canal in San Miquel de Allende, a hill town north of Mexico City.
He tries to rescue her and is heartbroken to have to leave her behind, writing, "I am grateful to have felt even this sharp sadness. The dog on Calle Canal awakens me; she shows me that I have come through something now. I write to bless her delicate head, the paw raised in hope. How should we know ourselves, except in the clarifying mirror of some other gaze?"
I finished the book in one day. And if you aren't into full throttle tears by Chapter 16 & 17 (the final chapters), then you have never known the joy and anticipation of there being "someone at home, waiting to go for a walk."
 memoirs of a gay-sha October 11, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
The poet shares the relationship he had between his dogs and himself in "Dog Years: A Memoir". Mark Doty (born 1953 in Maryville, Tennessee) is the only American poet to have received the T.S. Eliot Prize in the U.K. He received his Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Goddard College in Vermont. Doty, who is gay, has written about his struggle with coming to terms with his sexual identity, and with the impact on AIDS on the gay community. In 1989, his partner Wally Roberts tested positive for HIV, which drastically changed his writing. Wally died in 1994. Doty is currently the John and Rebecca Moores Professor in the graduate program at the University of Houston.
Mark Doty relates his experiences of his time with his two dogs, Arden the black retriever, and Beau the gold one. Mark also shares the passing of his long time partner Wally who was diagnosed and died of AIDS. Arden kept Mark alive, uplifted his soul and gave him will to live by its comforting gestures and by giving joy in his little ways. Arden and Beau became his true friends, became part of the household, and played a big part in Mark Doty's life. The dogs were his companions during his lowest moments, shared his grievances, and happiness as well.
Mark starts a happy new life with his dogs and Paul, also a writer. But a time came when his dogs starts to decline because of illness. Beau developed a kidney disease, while Arden is having a high fever and showing unusual signs. Along with this is the devastating 9/11 where Mark continues to differentiate despair and depression. According to Mark: "Depression is always the consequence of despair, a despair one cannot feel one's way through in order to emerge from the other side, a despair will not be moved".
The dogs' everyday struggle reminds Mark of how hard Wally's gradual passing was. In Mark's recollection of the years he spent with the dogs, Arden and Beau gave him unconditional love and companionship throughout their lives.
Dog Years is one beautiful way of giving tribute to all dogs in the world, who are loyal and ready to accompany their masters until their dying day. The book depicts an unforgettable experience between a man and a pet. At first, I got confused between his dogs and his boyfriend, because he describes his dogs like human beings. I love the poems he puts after every chapter, it makes the book more interesting although I don't really understand some of them. I'll admit some of the chapters in the book were boring and depressing, but I was moved when his dogs became really ill and helpless. They really are like humans. I have a Shih-Tzu named Bruno, and I can't imagine losing him too when the time comes.
On a scale of 1-10, I would give it an eight. The book failed to get my attention in the first few chapters, but the book helped me a lot in understanding my dog's feelings, and the last chapter was very moving that I almost cry. I would definitely read another book by Mark Doty, I'm planning to get the Firebird when I'm not busy. I'm recommending this book not only to dog lovers or owners, but also to anyone who has experienced attachment and loss.
Truly beautiful book October 2, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book moved me to write a review here, my first. I can hardly express how touching this book was for me. Sad in nature but told with such exquisite elegance it took me months to finish because though I enjoyed it throughly, reading it was an intense emotional experience, not unlike grieving. There are single lines and sections in this book that when thinking of them later, tears snap to my eyes. I am a true dog lover who can relate to the deep devotion and attachment to our dogs as expressed in this book. Mark has used language beautifully to tell his story.
To My Dog Loving Friends: September 23, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
(I read this book and was touched by it enough to write an email to my Dog Loving Friends) Here is what I wrote:
Dear Dog Loving Friends,
Over the past few days I read a book that I checked out of the library called Dog Years written by Mark Doty.
The book moved me so much that I intend to buy a copy for me to keep as my own. (And I never ever buy books to own.)
I recommend it to you (if you will endure the more poetic parts of it and seemingly random diversionary discussions), and I recommend it to Connie's hairdresser given that he owns 14 dogs. Susanne, if you can pass this on to Connie or make mention, I would be grateful.
The book is told in the first person. It is a memoir of sorts - reminds me of a scrapbook in a way - with lots of "photos" (the photos being stories) of dogs, but other "momentoes" stuck in the book such as random musings on poetry and sidebar discussions on such non-dog related topics as Judy Garland, the difference between dispair and depression....and boy does he nail it when he decribes depression. I am not quoting directly but something like: "Depression moves in heavily and sits in the sink as the dirty dishes from yesterday" ....
As strange as all the pieces were, it comes together quite lovely. Like a meal or a recipe in which I would have NEVER thought to combine all those ingredients, but it worked beautifully.
This book all made sense to me (except for some of the poetry..ok, ok, so I admidt I am missing the Emily Dickenson gene along with the cooking gene, but I will go back and carefully re-read some of the poetry.) I especially liked the poem on the wind. See that is the great thing about this book. I just finished it and already I am eager to read it again.
The book starts slowly and gets much better after a few chapters. I was momentarily confused between a dog named Wally and a man named Wally, and I was mildly irritated that the author used the word "fierce" or a very similar word 3 times on the same page. jeeze, picky, picky.
But then on the other hand, I rather LIKED this "flaw" because I felt like he was not a honed pretentious writer following all those rules we learn in English and writing classes, but instead he was really writing from the heart. And I myself, of course, cannot even write one smidgen as well as Doty.
Doty, an artistic insightful angst ridden gay man, recollects his past and how important his dogs were to him. He brilliantly perceptively and precisely captures what I think we see and love in our dogs. I was constantly saying "YES, YES, YES!" outloud to myself while reading. I wept copiously at the end.
The manner in which he desribes his dogs "resonates" with me (I hate to use that overused word, but it really fits here).
Because Doty is a poet, he sees his dogs through poetic artistic eyes.
The book will make you laugh and cry. I hope you take time to read it. See the reader reviews in the link below. (and I copied in the link to Amazon for my friends to click to).
- later -
Absolutely wonderful August 16, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This book is eloquent, poetic, deep, funny and thoughtful. I have never felt so connected to other 'dog people'. So many things Mark describes about his wonderful friends I found myself saying 'yes, Pukka does that too!' 'I know exactly what he means!'. 'I know exactly how he feels!'
In addition to capturing the bond between human and pet dog, the book is also punctuated by real life events that have effected us all, like 9/11, and the death of a partner. Overall, the story is well written, (although it did go back and forth a bit in time), heart warming, heart wrenching, real, thought provoking and also explores issues of self worth, depression, relationships. And although the story revolves around a gay couple, it transends gender and sexual orientation as anyone can relate to their relationship with each other and with their dogs.
I cried too much at the end though! (Well done)
|
|
|
Powered by Associate-O-Matic
| |
