Book Review: You Had Me At Woof

As soon as September rolled in I immediately got excited about going back to my weekly school visits. Back to my normal routine being out of the office on the road 2-3 days per week. During the first week of September I drove to one school that is an easy twenty-five minutes from my home and then on Thursday of that week drove the two hours from my home to Tama, IA for another visit. Two HOURS… and I have to get there by 2nd period. The summer must have given me amnesia because on my next two hour drive back home I wanted to beat my head into the steering wheel… literally. I had forgotten how boring that commute could be. There are only so many corn fields you can take in before hitting the, “I’m bored” stage.

After that long trek, my office mate suggested that I try audio books. We than made a quick trip to the Iowa State library to see if maybe there were some audio books I could listen to during my commutes but was surely disappointed but the catalog they had on hand. I figured maybe I would try our local small town library. On Monday I ventured into our two room library and wouldn’t you know the Librarian is our Church’s office Secretary. I’m starting to love the small town vibe more and more. I was able to tell her G and I would be unable to make the first “New Members” meeting due to my brother’s wedding back east and apply for my new library card all at once! Also since everyone knows everyone in town I was able to check out a book without a card because… well, they know where I live. They will find you.

As she took me over to the audio section I was surprised to see a very large collection of books on the shelf. I really wasn’t expecting this many choices and was thrilled none the less. As I looked through the Nicolas Sparks collection, out of the corner of my eye I saw the title, You Had Me at Woof.

It spoke to me and within 3 days and countless hours in my car I had finished wanting to hear more.

So here it goes, my thoughts on this audio book.

You Had Me at Woof How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness – Julie Klam Begins with a single thirty year old woman in search for love, little did she know that she would find it in a little rescue dog she named, Otto. As the book progresses we learn about how her passion for rescue canines becomes part of her journey, each dog teaching her a new lesson in life, loss, and love.

What I loved about the book: From the first chapter Julie pulled me in by being very relatable. Even as a married woman I could envision her struggles and compare them to what my younger non-married sisters lives. Her personality shines through with her compassion for our four-legged friends, her humor in life situations that any dog owner has gone through, and her ability to keep us guessing about what it next in store for us, the reader or in my case the listener.

How was the Audio Narrator: At first I was afraid that I wouldn’t like the book because the narrator seemed a little bland, I was wrong. I enjoyed listening to her many character voices throughout the book and believed that the voices were completely different people than the main character- Julie. The characters came to life.

Favorite Quotes from the book: 

“Puppies are constantly inventing new ways to be bad. It's fascinating. You come into a room they've been in and see pieces of debris and try to figure out what you had that was made from wicker or what had been stuffed with fluff.”

“A very wise dog woman once told me that dogs find owners, not the other way around. They pick you and they choose to stay with you. In that way, they are also giving you the end of their life. The deeper the bond, the harder it is to say good-bye. I know I’d rather have any amount of time with a dog I love and suffer the mourning than not have the time at all.”

Who would love this book: If you are a dog lover this book is for you. It especially captures the lives of canine rescue volunteers and the many hoops that their lives are put through to help these homeless furry friends. If you are thinking that someday you would love to foster or work with a rescue group you need to read/listen this book. As someone who has not rescued I still felt a connection that I cannot describe and now have a valuable understanding and appreciation for person who rescue/foster pups.

Cost:

1.  Paper back on Barnes & Noble $10.74
2. Nook Book $12.99
3. Audio book $53.99
4. Library FREE

 

If you have read: You Had Me at Woof How Dogs Taught Me the Secrets of Happiness

What did you think of the book?

Do you have any suggestions of other audio books I should pick up?