Walking in Circles Before Lying Down: A Novel
by Merrill Markoe
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Read in June, 2008
There are so many flakey people in this book, that you could make a really tasty pie crust with them. Okay, so I really debated with myself over giving this 2 stars instead of three, but, since the book ended well, I opted for 3 stars. After all I went through to get there, it was such a relief to have the protagonist FINALLY stand up for herself. Hooray! Plus, you know, the talking dog aspect was really funny, and pretty much saved the book. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Here's the premi...more
Here's the premi...more
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Read in May, 2008
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Read in July, 2008
My last few days in Provincetown were sad because...they were my last few days! Yet not too sad to find myself cracking up when reading, while simultaneously admiring Merrill Markoe's hilarious and absorbing Walking in Circles Before Lying Down, which I found while browsing the wonderful shelves of the Provincetown library. The main character of the book Dawn, after fleeing an impossible relationship and various impossible living situations, finds herself thinking she is talking to herself when ...more
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Read in September, 2006
recommends it for:
people who love quirky love stories.
When her latest boyfriend leaves her for another woman, twice-divorced Dawn Tarnauer buries her face in the fur of her mutt, Chuck, and cries. The dog, it seems, sensed trouble all along. “I should have said something before,” he admits in a gravelly voice. “Couldn’t you smell her on his pants?” Has Dawn gone nuts, or is her dog actually talking to her? Chuck ends up giving her good solid advice. He goes and gets his ball. “Here, throw this,” he said. “It’ll make you feel a ...more
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Read in July, 2008
This was a 'meh' book. After reading another book about dogs (Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog), I thought I'd try out this one which just happened to be on a shelf at the library I was perusing. It took waaaaaay too long to get into the real story, and once I had, the author tried to make it as obnoxious and dumb as possible.
Which is not to say the book is without merit, but honestly, a butcher/meat guy orgy? No thanks. The narrator/protagonist's family is also beyon...more
Which is not to say the book is without merit, but honestly, a butcher/meat guy orgy? No thanks. The narrator/protagonist's family is also beyon...more
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Read in June, 2007
Merrill Markoe delivers a humorous “chick-lit” story that is perfect reading for a rainy spring or summer day. Twice-divorced Dawn Tarnauer lives in perpetual transition as she moves from job-to-job and place-to-place. Her only constant is her canine companion “Chuck.” Shortly after being dumped by her deejay boyfriend Paxton, Chuck starts communicating with Dawn (in English!) Dawn is worried that she is losing her mind. She seeks the help of a therapist when she begins to hear the conve...more
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Read in September, 2007
recommends it for:
Everyone
What a fun book! My hubby (Michael) picked it up for me at Barnes & Noble because it had a dog on the cover. Frankly, I was surprised that it was so good.
The main characters are Dawn and Chuck (Dawn's dog) - After 2 divorces Dawn thinks that she has finally found happiness with her boyfriend. Then, one morning he wakes up and tells her he's leaving her for someone else. She's sitting in her livingroom crying and Chuck (her dog) comes over to her, drops a ball in her lap and says, &qu...more
The main characters are Dawn and Chuck (Dawn's dog) - After 2 divorces Dawn thinks that she has finally found happiness with her boyfriend. Then, one morning he wakes up and tells her he's leaving her for someone else. She's sitting in her livingroom crying and Chuck (her dog) comes over to her, drops a ball in her lap and says, &qu...more
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Read in April, 2008
recommended to Tracy by:
Ginnyrecommends it for: Animal Lovers
This book is wonderful for all the dog lovers out there. I just couldn't put it down! It rang so true b/c my dog was such a part of my family and I talked to her all the time. As I read the book I was laughing my butt off the whole time:) It did make me sad that my baby Girl is not living with me anymore but I am at peace with the decision I made. Boy if dogs could talk and tell all of our deep dark secrets...we would all be in trouble..lol It is sooo true that an animals love is unconditional b...more
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Read in June, 2008
I am a huge dog lover and enjoyed the idea of a dog's owner suddenly able to hear the canine species. However, despite the sometimes cute ideas and things said by the dogs, this was another normal coming-of-age-years-later-than-most-women-come-of-age story. Here's the book in a nutshell...stop me if you've heard this one: A single woman with a series of failed relationships, a family that is just too overbearing or self-involved to take notice, and a plethora of men vying for her attention only...more
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Read in February, 2008
Get your hands on this book and READ it! It's a 2-3 hour time investment and will leave all kinds of feel-good fuzzies as you recognize that the author is CLEARLY from a family just as dysfunctional as your own - whoever you might be!
From the back cover:
Dawn Tarnauer's life isn't exactly a success story .... So when her boyfriend announces that he's leaving her for another woman, a despairing Dawn turns to Chuck, a pit-bull mix from the pound, for solace.
"I should have said som...more
From the back cover:
Dawn Tarnauer's life isn't exactly a success story .... So when her boyfriend announces that he's leaving her for another woman, a despairing Dawn turns to Chuck, a pit-bull mix from the pound, for solace.
"I should have said som...more
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Read in July, 2008
recommends it for:
Summer, anyone who loves dogs
I first saw this book in an airport bookstore, Salt Lake City is my memory holds, and instantly something drew me to it. Maybe it was the desire for a good dog store, or maybe the need for something outside my usual reading material.
The easy way to put it is that it's essentially bubblegum for the mind. The book is written memoir style, so there are lines about writing and writers that make me smile. The characters are quirky to being over the top.
The book is not short, but not long eit...more
The easy way to put it is that it's essentially bubblegum for the mind. The book is written memoir style, so there are lines about writing and writers that make me smile. The characters are quirky to being over the top.
The book is not short, but not long eit...more
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This is a HILARIOUS book and I am looking forward to reading Markoe's other books! Anyone that is a dog lover, and some who are not, will find humor in this story. Dawn already has an interesting life when we first meet her. She has been divorced twice, had a crazy family and then her dog dies. After some time has passed, she gets a new dog (Chuck) and when her current boyfriend walks out on her, Chuck starts talking to her!!! It is so funny to thnk about the things our dogs would say to us if o...more
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I have to admit this is one book I bought due to the title and the cover picture... Which is one step above opening it and smelling it! Now I'm giving away too many secrets.
If you love dogs, you will have to read it. Who wouldn't want to be able to not only have a conversation with your dog, but to see our world through their eyes/perspective? A light, fast read with some interesting quotes thrown in sparingly Cute enough to keep your attention. My biggest worry was that the author would fin...more
If you love dogs, you will have to read it. Who wouldn't want to be able to not only have a conversation with your dog, but to see our world through their eyes/perspective? A light, fast read with some interesting quotes thrown in sparingly Cute enough to keep your attention. My biggest worry was that the author would fin...more
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Read in March, 2008
The dogs are the only redeeming value of this book - absolutely hilarious to "hear" what the dogs are saying. It was a great concept, but the author just doesn't pull it off. The main character is a total wuss - a completely dependent, weak willed woman and she drove me crazy. I would not be friends with her if you paid me! She can suddenly hear dogs talking, but after an initial thought ("am I crazy?") she never seems to question it again, it's just like, ho hum I can he...more
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Read in April, 2008
The most exciting thing about this book was the prospect of reading it, not the actual act.
Not very well written, full of pop-culture references and rather slow, I don't regret reading it but wish I'd waited for the film version, which would no doubt star Sandra Bullock.
None of the characters were likable and even the talking dog wasn't very interesting. This was an idea that could've gone a lot further than where Merrill Markoe took it.
If you're sitting on a beach and want something...more
Not very well written, full of pop-culture references and rather slow, I don't regret reading it but wish I'd waited for the film version, which would no doubt star Sandra Bullock.
None of the characters were likable and even the talking dog wasn't very interesting. This was an idea that could've gone a lot further than where Merrill Markoe took it.
If you're sitting on a beach and want something...more
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4 comments
Read in May, 2008
recommends it for:
chick lit reading dog lovers
I enjoyed this book. I read a review that said it had a lot of untapped potential. I have to agree. There was a lot more room for this to go. Although I loved Chuck's comments. It was kind of sad for the dog lover/obsessor in me to think my dog concedes to me but at least it's out of love, oh and a work of fiction. I wish my dog would talk to me, instead of me just talking to her. I thought it was well written. The main chick needs a bit of a personality make-over and a desire to take over her o...more
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Read in June, 2008
recommends it for:
dog lovers
The premise of this book is about a woman who ends up being able to hear and talk with her dog and other dogs.
Think What Woman Really Want only not nearly as good.
The conversations that she would have with her dog and the things the dog would say were ridiculous! I mean come on - if you were going to go with this story-line the author could have a least made it a little more believable.
I did get a few chuckles from it and I liked the authors "voice", but I wouldn't waste my time ...more
Think What Woman Really Want only not nearly as good.
The conversations that she would have with her dog and the things the dog would say were ridiculous! I mean come on - if you were going to go with this story-line the author could have a least made it a little more believable.
I did get a few chuckles from it and I liked the authors "voice", but I wouldn't waste my time ...more
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Read in August, 2008
The cover of the book is adorable. The premise is also cute: talking dogs. How can you go wrong? But the lead character, well, I kind of wanted to climb into the pages and knock some sense into her. She makes poor decisions throughout the entire book and while this is one of her character flaws (and essential to the plot), at some point you kind of just say "seriously?" to her. And her sister. And her mother.
I had to give it two stars because I did like Chuck, the dog. But he was ab...more
I had to give it two stars because I did like Chuck, the dog. But he was ab...more
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Read in August, 2008
recommended to Cayr Ariel by:
The dog-eared book club
A cross between "Look Who's Talking" and "Sight Hound", Merrill Merkoe's quirky tale of a woman trying to make sense of her life is both comical and endearing. Peppered with pop culture and current news events, Markoe's novel surprises and entertains. Dawn, the heroine, who inexplicably begins to hear her canine clients' thoughts, is an original and sympathetic character, and the dogs that fill her life are a comical assortment of supporting characters. A fast and fun read fo...more
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Has a copy to sell/swap
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Read in August, 2008
recommends it for:
dog lovers
A very enjoyable book although something didn't ring quite right with me with the dog's personality. I felt that as loving as dogs are in real life, I got the sense from this book that they're really not much more devoted than cats. It was a predictable storyline (other than talking dogs) but I wanted to kick the main character because she was SOOOOO weak-willed - very blind to the self-centered jerk she was clinging to. Not a great literary achievment, but good entertainment nonetheless.
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book data (includes all editions)
avg rating (all editions): 3.42 (477 ratings) avg rating (this edition): 3.38 (379 ratings) number of reviews: 208popular shelves
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"Though it seems like time itself moves more slowly when you're in the presence of people who actually see and hear you. There's a certain weight to a moment that never comes when you feel invisible."
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