by
Barbara Lampert
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GENRE: Dog memoir
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BLURB:
"Nobody
who loves dogs will be able to resist your book! A magnificent love
story!"
-
Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, international bestselling author of Dogs Never Lie
About Love and When Elephants Weep.
In
her dog memoir Happy Harry: A Magical Golden, psychotherapist Barbara Lampert,
a lifelong dog lover, tells the story of her beloved Golden Retriever, Harry.
Like her first dog memoir, Harry's story comes from her mostly uncensored daily
journal and takes place in Malibu, California.
Harry
was a genuinely free spirit - wild, and very wolf-like. Did all this contribute
to his being exceptionally happy? Perhaps.
Harry
was not only the happiest being Barbara's ever known, happy to the very core of
him, but also the bravest. More than once in his life, Harry had to face true
adversity, and each time, Barbara would look at him in wonder, not fully
understanding how a being could be so brave and at the same time continue to be
so happy.
Harry
literally pranced through life, with a joyous attitude that made being around
him like magic. Barbara fell in love with Harry. And as you immerse yourself in
Harry's story, it's likely you will too! Happy Harry is unforgettable!
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EXCERPT
I call Harry my
calendar dog. Exquisite face. That’s what drew me to him when he was nine weeks
old. Sounds superficial, but I thought his face was extraordinary. And this
sounds superficial too, but I’d hoped his face would stay as gorgeous when he
grew up. Well, it has. But you know, no matter what he turned out to look like,
I knew I would love him tremendously. What’s inside Harry is amazing!
Harry is the
happiest dog I’ve ever known. Genuinely happy, from the core of him. Mostly
with a ball game. Harry can’t wait for the moment when he can go out to play.
The first few
years with Harry were insane. He was a maniac, wouldn’t listen. Particularly
when he was out of the house on a walk or at the big field at the nearby
school. We tried every kind of leash and harness. We enlisted a dog trainer.
Nothing worked. But little by little, he’s getting better. Still pays scant
attention when we’re out of the house, but at least I don’t have the feeling he
would run away. Though he’s never off leash when we’re out. Never!
Those first
years were so chaotic with him that I was resigning myself to the possibility
he might be a sociopath, because he seemed to not care about rules, listening,
or consequences. I needed to accept him as he was. But now, at six, Harry has
become incredibly devoted and loyal. Our wild wolf has settled into his pack.
I’m at work
right now and can’t wait to get home and see Harry. Give him lots of kisses,
get his over-the top joyful greeting with a soft toy in his mouth. Seeing Harry
brimming with enthusiasm makes me so happy! I love him so much!
Harry’s adapting… But more than that, he’s still so joyful.
His abundance of happy energy is so wonderful to be around. He’s still putting
stuffed toy rabbits and balls in his mouth, particularly when he’s really
happy. Still comes to me with even more enthusiasm and his head held even
higher than usual when I say, “Hey Harry.” I love saying that to him, and Harry
seems to love hearing it. I only use the “Hey” with Harry. It’s special, just
for him. Something I started saying to him a few years ago. To me, it’s a way
of emphasizing how cool Harry is. Yes, Harry is really cool, in the true sense
of the word. Unafraid, carefree. Still.
Dogs are such special beings. I swear a big reason they were
put on this earth is to teach us how to be.
Buy link:
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My
passion is dogs! I’ve had dogs most of my life and hope to have at least one by
my side always. Dog energy is the best!
I’m
the author of two dog memoirs: Happy Harry: A Magical Golden and before that
Charlie: A Love Story. Each about one of my Golden Retrievers. (I told you dogs
are my passion!)
I’m
a psychotherapist, licensed for over thirty years, specializing in
relationships. .
I
was a flight attendant for nine years. And taught sociology at several
universities. I have two master’s degrees and a doctorate.
Gardening
is another love – not as much as dogs, but right up there! I see my garden as a
work of art and garden as much as possible in my free time. I love being in
nature.
I live in Malibu, California with my husband
David and, you guessed it, our two wonderful Golden Retrievers, Oliver and
Henry.
Links:
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GIVEAWAY
4.25 stars
Happy Harry: A Magical Golden by Barbara Lambert is a pet
memoir about a very special golden retriever. His story is told through a
series of garden-journal entries that chronicle Harry’s arrival and his life in
the household that he enlivens with his quirks and cheerful personality. The
author conveys her heartfelt affection for this loveable breed through a series
of dated entries that chronicles her journey with Harry and are sprinkled with
philosophical musings and contemplations of how close he was to his wolf
brethren. She supports some of her observations with quotes and citations of
various individuals who have studied wolves in the wild, and illustrates her story
with black-and-white pictures of the personable Harry.
The cycle of life is poignantly portrayed for both Barney,
who is in residence when the whirlwind subsequently named Harry arrives, and
for Harry himself. Be advised that tissues will be required, as the highs and
lows of loving a fur-baby are depicted.
Harry’s story is conveyed in a kind of stream-of-consciousness
manner, which was a little difficult for me to connect with at first, but I
eventually became accustomed to the style, and I became invested in his story.
I love that the author allowed us to see that he wasn’t perfect (I had to laugh
at her initial fear that he was a sociopath, given his disregard for rules or
the consequences of breaking said rules) but still manages to convey how
important he was to their family and how he changed their lives. We should all
be so blessed to meet a character such as Harry, and I daresay many of us who
read this story will suddenly develop a need for puppy cuddles, especially with
a Golden Retriever.
A copy of this story was provided for review
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