Happy Harry: A Magical Golden by Barbara Lampert (Spotlight, excerpt, review, and GIVEAWAY) GFT

 

Happy Harry: A Magical Golden

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:

Amazon

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

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:

Website

 

Facebook

 

Facebook

 

Tiktok

 

Instagram

 

Pinterest

 

 

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 GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The tour dates can be found here

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My review:

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