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32nd out of 237 books
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A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog
by
Dean Koontz
Dean Koontz thought he had everything he needed. A novelist for nearly forty years, with more than twenty #1 New York Times bestsellers to his credit, his career was thriving. He had been married to his high school sweetheart, Gerda, since the age of twenty, and together they had forged a happy life for themselves in their Southern California home. It was the picture of pe...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
August 25th 2009
by Hyperion Books
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Loved this book! I haven't read any of Dean Koontz's books, but was given this one by another dog lover. What a great story and he wrote this story so well. It made me laugh in so many places and I felt like I knew his furry daughter, Trixie. I think his insights to dogs and their intelligence (and everything) is really so incredible. I have been a dog lover and mom for most of my life and I share in many of his experiences with Trixie. He and his wife were so fortunate that things worked out fo...more
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This was a beautiful book. Dog lovers, beware. It's a memoir, so it's not a spoiler to know that he writes about the end of his dog's life. Just about killed me to read it, but so worth it. Dean Koontz is a wonderful, funny and charming storyteller and not at all like I imagined him to be. He's silly and self deprecating and even though we are on opposite ends of the spectrum as far as organization and neatness, I can imagine being his friend. He and his wife are kind, caring, funny and do...more
This is really a story of the private life of Dean & Gerda Koontz before and after getting Trixie, the release dog from Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). Very very funny, insightful about their lives, private as they are, and the amazing character of the dog. As a volunteer for CCI, I am one of the puppy raisers he speaks of in his book and proud to be a part of this this fabulous organization he so generously supports. I real MUST READ for any dog lover!!! Dean Koonts really is a brilli...more
It's hard to imagine that a slight book about a perfectly sweet and charming dog could be so wretched, but Dean Koontz manages to write one. I've got two main objections:
1. The author's ego. No one has ever worked so many hours in every day and every week for so many years. No one. He has to tell us that the hallway in his house is lined with all the editions of his books--more than 5000 total. He has to tell us, repeatedly, how generous he's been to the companion dog program he s...more
1. The author's ego. No one has ever worked so many hours in every day and every week for so many years. No one. He has to tell us that the hallway in his house is lined with all the editions of his books--more than 5000 total. He has to tell us, repeatedly, how generous he's been to the companion dog program he s...more
I seem to be drawn to stories about dogs. You know going in if you're reading a story about a dog, chances are pretty good that there is going to be a sad ending. Some of these books become terribly maudlin and you wonder why you wasted your time ("Rescuing Sprite" by Mark Levin is a good case in point), but then you come across a brilliant gem like this story of Dean Koontz dog, Trixie, and you understand why you keep reading them.
In his book, "Darkest Evening of the...more
In his book, "Darkest Evening of the...more
What was it that made me roll my eyes repeatedly while reading this book? It certainly wasn't the dog, Trixie, who seemed to be a perfect canine ambassador. It was the author's "hey, look at how great I am" attitude that ran throughout the entire story. From the house that he mentions took 10 years to build (with several floors, in-home theater, elevator, "sweeping staircase", ocean view, etc etc) to Trixie's weekly appointment at the groomers (in addition to the 45 minute...more
This book was passed along to me by my sister-in-law, so I felt I had to read it. As a long time fan of Dean Koontz, it was fun to read a book that helped me feel like I know him a little (he's a quirky guy - kind of OCD, it seems to me). This is not a typical Dean Koontz book, obviously, but instead, a typical memoir-of-a-dog book. Of course the dog dies at the end and you bawl your eyes out. And of course you laugh out loud in parts, because dogs do hilarious things and good writers describe ...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Annie
rated it
Recommends it for:
Dog lovers (specifically Golden Retrievers/CCI dogs)
Shelves:
memiors,
non-fiction
Firstly, I am a Dean Koontz fan.
I am frequently frustrated by his wordiness. His tendency to exaggerate to make his point. My eyes generally get a great workout from rolling frequently. In spite of this, I love his books dearly. All of them.
Something I learned from this book was that all of my very favorite of his novels were written post-Trixie. Silly maybe, but this instantly made me love her.
Yes, its sappy. Yes, it is most definately a love letter to his dog. Koontz is a w...more
I am frequently frustrated by his wordiness. His tendency to exaggerate to make his point. My eyes generally get a great workout from rolling frequently. In spite of this, I love his books dearly. All of them.
Something I learned from this book was that all of my very favorite of his novels were written post-Trixie. Silly maybe, but this instantly made me love her.
Yes, its sappy. Yes, it is most definately a love letter to his dog. Koontz is a w...more
I've never read any of Koontz's other books. I think he mostly writes mysteries. This book is about his golden retriever named Trixie. Guess where he got her from?! CCI! If you've read my blog you've seen the pictures of my dad and his wife's new dog Emma (formerly known as Marla). Emma was given to them by CCI (Canine Companions for Independence) because he and Trudy do fundraisers and other volunteer work for them. How surprised I was then to see how much A Big Little Life focuses on the CCI p...more
This is going to sound cliche, but there is no other way to put this. If you love animals, especially dogs, you must read this book. My next statement is cliche too. The book made me laugh out loud and cry real tears. It really did. I have never read anything Dean Koontz has written, but I have become a fan of his because of this book.
A Big Little Life is the story of Trixie, Dean and Gerda Koontz's adopted service dog. Trixie is a golden retriever with so much intelligence, beauty...more
A Big Little Life is the story of Trixie, Dean and Gerda Koontz's adopted service dog. Trixie is a golden retriever with so much intelligence, beauty...more
Last week, on Monday, I went searching for some new books to read. This in itself was not unusual, but the distance between my usual secondhand store and the others in my town are a few blocks, and I rarely venture into them. I walked into the Salvation Army, and picked up two animal books- saving cinnamon, and the dog that saved my life, as well as a few other fiction novels. I left the store with the feeling that I'd missed something however, and returned a few days later to find this beautifu...more
I was very pleasently surprised with this book. It made me laugh out loud many times and of course I cried at the end. This is of course a memoir of a dog, so I don't think that's a To be honest I'm not much of an animal person. I have nothing against them, I just find that I don't have the time to properly care for one, so I don't think about them often. This book made me sure that I do not have the ability to care for an animal. I have neither the time or desire. But I wish I did. Befor...more
This book affirms my love for Dean Koontz - I think if I had the opportunity to spend any time with him, I'd be laughing until my sides hurt and wishing I had half of his sense of humor.
As a fellow dog lover (and a huge fan) when I saw this book I knew I absolutely had to read it. I'm so glad I did. Koontz brings Trixie to life in a beautiful, moving way, and every page is saturated with the love he had for Trixie. Short Stuff, Golden Girl, Trixter - this dog was like a child to the ...more
As a fellow dog lover (and a huge fan) when I saw this book I knew I absolutely had to read it. I'm so glad I did. Koontz brings Trixie to life in a beautiful, moving way, and every page is saturated with the love he had for Trixie. Short Stuff, Golden Girl, Trixter - this dog was like a child to the ...more
I'm kind of a sucker for dog stories that rein in the sappiness a bit but still yank the heartstrings. I listened to Marley and Me on CD during a road trip but was frustrated most of the time with how irresponsible the humans were in the story, although I did cry pitifully in the car for miles while the last part unfolded. There is only one way that these stories end, and Dean Koontz really hits hard when it's his turn. Do not read the last two chapters in public, as if you have a heart, then yo...more
This book is only for extreme dog lovers or those who allow that other people sometimes love their dogs like family. No one who has ever said or would say "It's only a dog." should read this, because they will suffer injury from excessive and extreme eye-rolling! I, personally, am a dog lover, so I could handle it. My father always says, "Never trust anyone who doesn't like dogs." :) I also happen to like Dean Koontz's writing.
Dean and Gerda Koontz never had child...more
Dean and Gerda Koontz never had child...more
Sappy pooch portrait produces cornball canine cartoon
Dean Koontz's attempt at nonfiction in A Big Little Life is a presumptuous and predictable love letter to his dog. Reading it was like being trapped at the office Christmas party by a co-worker whose kid made the little league all-star team over the summer.
But I found an escape. Just when I considered tossing the thing a third of the way through, I realized I actually wanted to see how the master of suspense would hand...more
Dean Koontz's attempt at nonfiction in A Big Little Life is a presumptuous and predictable love letter to his dog. Reading it was like being trapped at the office Christmas party by a co-worker whose kid made the little league all-star team over the summer.
But I found an escape. Just when I considered tossing the thing a third of the way through, I realized I actually wanted to see how the master of suspense would hand...more
I LOVED this book. Capital L-O-V-E-D!
This is such a great memoir of an amazing Golden Retriever named Trixie! I have never read a Dean Koontz book before, mainly because he writes a genre that is not my cup of tea, but he is a laugh out loud author. There were SEVERAL parts of this book that I laughed to myself and read the story with a smile. I took my time with this book because I wanted to enjoy Trixie's life through her memory. She was indeed a VERY special dog.
I cr...more
This is such a great memoir of an amazing Golden Retriever named Trixie! I have never read a Dean Koontz book before, mainly because he writes a genre that is not my cup of tea, but he is a laugh out loud author. There were SEVERAL parts of this book that I laughed to myself and read the story with a smile. I took my time with this book because I wanted to enjoy Trixie's life through her memory. She was indeed a VERY special dog.
I cr...more
Well written memoir of a dog through the eyes of her owner. I can't fault Koontz for bragging on his dog in the book because if it were my dog I would brag on her too. LOL! Since its the complete life of a dog you know you'll cry in the end and yet its just as surprising and sad when it happens. If only they could live longer.... a most excellent title and tribute to a missed and much loved dog.
I loved this book--and not just because I'm a self-avowed fan of the dog, or Dean Koontz. In fact I've only read 2-3 Dean Koontz stories and I up until now only liked Watchers. But I loved nearly every moment of this memoir and Koontz's sentiments and realizations about his dog. His reflections on the human relationship with the animal dog, and the emotional/sentient breadth of these incredible animals resonated deeply with me. As a writer I was inrigued by the parallel journeys of letting go th...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Trixie is a golden retriever and companion dog released from CCI (Canine Companions for the Impaired) due to an elbow problem, and adopted by Dean Koontz. I thoroughly enjoyed her amazing intelligence, sense of humor, loyalty and her ability to size up people, animals, situations, and be such an inspiration in the lives of her owners (and their friends.) This is a "Big Little book" which says a great deal about dogs, unconditional love, and how the bond between dogs and humans promote...more
To be honest, I’ve never read a book by Dean Koontz until I got this one for my mom for Christmas. She loves books about dogs, and I thought she’d enjoy this one. When I went up to the counter to pay for it, the lady there said she read it and really liked it.
My mom was pretty excited to get it for Christmas, and about a week later she told me that I HAD to read it. I got didn’t get around to it til last week, but I have to say, it lived up to her enthusiasm. I enjoyed it a lot. Dean...more
My mom was pretty excited to get it for Christmas, and about a week later she told me that I HAD to read it. I got didn’t get around to it til last week, but I have to say, it lived up to her enthusiasm. I enjoyed it a lot. Dean...more
I don't know what type of book I was expecting. Marley was an okay book but it didn't have me in tears. I can't say the same about Trixie's story as told by her "dad". Dean writes with the same passion and degree of intelligence and insight we've come to expect from his novels and this book is no exception. The feelings he and his wife had for this darling Golden Retriever were palpable. I kept seeing Sadie's little face and that happy butt wiggle she gets -- Sadie is my son's dog...more
3.5 stars... a neighbor friend loaned it to me; we both have golden retrievers. It's a pretty well written memoir of Koontz's first dog, Trixie, a golden retriever. Koontz and his wife acquired her when they were in their fifties or so, and when Trixie was about three and due to elbow trouble couldn't continue as a therapy dog. Trixie is totally darling and is a very well trained dog genius. The usual heart warming dog stories abound, plus a glimpse at fiction author Koontz's life. He seems like...more
Greg
rated it
Recommends it for:
Dog lovers for sure, but almost anyone who loves anyone.
Shelves:
history-and-biography,
thought-provoking
Though I've always enjoyed Dean Kontz's fiction, I never thought I would appreciate a book of his as much as I did A Big Little Life. To my knowledge, this is his first foray into non-fiction, and it was warm, loving, gentle, thoughtful and even inspired in many ways. Like some of the best books I've read, I kept putting this one down, not to understand better what he was saying, but simply to bask in the warmth of his love for Trixie, and to ponder on the words of wisdom that he wrote. I found ...more
For any dog lover, this is a great book. If you aren't a dog lover(shame on you)the writing is fun and witty and it's a great tale of love and growth and the meaning of life.
Now, really, you're saying, the meaning of life?
Yes, that's exactly what I said.
A life well-lived and well-loved.
Dean Koontz tells this story with self-deprecating humor and a sense of spirituality and enduring joy in the memories of this remarkable dog. Well, she's s golden retriver so remarkable i...more
Now, really, you're saying, the meaning of life?
Yes, that's exactly what I said.
A life well-lived and well-loved.
Dean Koontz tells this story with self-deprecating humor and a sense of spirituality and enduring joy in the memories of this remarkable dog. Well, she's s golden retriver so remarkable i...more
oh my gosh.........
I needed a BOX of tissues while reading this book especially toward the end. Needless to say, this book was very touching, sweet, entertaining, and well-written. It touched me deeply. What caught my attention about this book was that Dean Koontz was (still is) one of my favorite authors and he wrote about his dog which was bonus because I am a BIG animal lover.
Dean Koontz had a beautiful description of how Trixie, his pet dog, affected him and his wife...more
I needed a BOX of tissues while reading this book especially toward the end. Needless to say, this book was very touching, sweet, entertaining, and well-written. It touched me deeply. What caught my attention about this book was that Dean Koontz was (still is) one of my favorite authors and he wrote about his dog which was bonus because I am a BIG animal lover.
Dean Koontz had a beautiful description of how Trixie, his pet dog, affected him and his wife...more
Dean Koontz tells the story about how he and his wife discovered life from a new perspective through their beloved dog, Trixie. As a dog lover, I could relate to their discovery that the family pet can be a source of joy and wonderment. It wasn't long before I fell in love with the main character, Trixie, as Koontz describes her personality and her antics and how she changed his life, and how she touched the lives of those who had the privilege of knowing her. You'd have to be a cold stone to ...more
Being a dog lover, I always love to hear good dog stories, especially stories that describe how much a human loves a dog. While there were some interesting anecdotes about some strange, undog-like behavior exhibited by Trixie, I don't think it was so unusual. However, I am appreciative that someone was able to explain so accurately and articulately just exactly what dogs truly are. I just think it goes largely unnoticed, relatively speaking. It took Koontz until later in his life to discover...more
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“No matter how close we are to another person, few human relationships are as free from strife, disagreement, and frustration as is the relationship you have with a good dog. Few human beings give of themselves to another as a dog gives of itself. I also suspect that we cherish dogs because their unblemished souls make us wish - consciously or unconsciously - that we were as innocent as they are, and make us yearn for a place where innocence is universal and where the meanness, the betrayals, and the cruelties of this world are unknown.”
—
48 people liked it
“When you have dogs, you witness their uncomplaining acceptance of suffering, their bright desire to make the most of life in spite of the limitations of age and disease, their calm awareness of the approaching end when their final hours come. They accept death with a grace that I hope I will one day be brave enough to muster.”
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15 people liked it
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