Olive, Mabel & Me: Life and Adventures With Two Very Good Dogs

by Andrew Cotter

The story of Olive and Mabel, Labrador retrievers who rose to internet fame as the subjects of Andrew Cotter's BBC sports parodies.

When sporting events were put on hold in March 2020, commentator Andrew Cotter shifted to working from home. The one-on-one competitors? His two Labrador retrievers, Olive and Mabel. In the hilarious videos that ensued, the dogs engage in various contests, from bone-snatching and breakfast-eating to crushing it on the dog walk, while Cotter narrates to hilarious effect. The scene of Mabel, simply standing still in a fetid pond was one of the most popular. Why? Because this is how dogs live, and Cotter captured it with humor and joy. It's why the series has been viewed more than 50 million times, entertaining dog owners, sports fans, and celebrities around the world. Olive and Mabel are more than online celebrities, however, as revealed in this charming narrative.

Filled with stories about how Cotter fell in love with his dogs, his passion for hiking with them through the glens and over the peaks of his native Scotland, and the ongoing relationship between Olive and Mabel (particularly the "competitive fire" lit during these days of quarantine), the memoir is by turns side-splittingly funny and thoughtfully tender. It's sure to resonate with all dog lovers.

Genres: Nonfiction

Audio CD

Published March 16, 2021

About the author

Andrew Cotter is one of the most recognisable voices in sports broadcasting. Cotter is one of the leading commentators on the BBC’s golf, rugby, tennis and athletics coverage.

Reviews

[Lolese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Cotter and his good dogs Olive and Mabel have brought me much joy on YouTube, and this book did not disappoint. It is such a joy to see and hear the love shared between them, and it was also a chance to get to know the personalities of Olive and Mabel in depth. I listened to the audio version, and found myself wishing that I could see how some of those Scottish mountains were spelled as he was saying them in Gaelic. It probably would have been the opposite problem if I'd been reading it, though...wishing I could hear them pronounced when seeing them written.

[Patricia Wemstrom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book in a Xmas book exchange. I'm rating it 3 stars because it doesn't really pretend to be more than a cute book about the guy's dogs, and it does that. Apparently he had made videos of his two labs, which went viral, so he decided to write a book.
To me the most interesting chapter was his adventure on Fuji, which didn't involve the dogs. If you love, love, love dogs, you would probably enjoy the book. I like dogs, and I thought it was cute and certainly fast, light reading.

[Gayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

[No matter what Goodreads says, there is a Kindle edition, and that's the edition I read.]

What a great book! If you've seen any of his dog videos, and if you haven't, you definitely should (look him up on Youtube), you'll recognize his humor and the love he has for Olive and Mable. I chuckled with every page and appreciated knowing more about all of them! Lots of fun, with details of the many amazing places he's been with the dogs. Highly recommended!

[Phyllis M. Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the stories of the two dogs, Olive and Mabel. Those two are clowns and some of the antics are familiar to me, a cat lover. I've looked up some of the places Mr. Cotter went with Olive and Mabel and they are awe inspiring indeed! Beautiful to look at from the safety of my recliner, thank you very much.

[Rhea Trezise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audio. Like so many, I discovered Olive and Mabel on social media during the pandemic. Loved hearing this memoir as read by the author in his native Scottish accent, and learning more about their outdoor adventures together. Dry, quirky, observational humor is a favorite for me and had me smiling throughout.

[lois eibl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This audio book is OUTSTANDING ! Andrew Cotter has a wonderful sense of humour, and listening to him read the book elevates the narrative. Lots o laughs!

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy fun listen during a road trip. Definitely a book for dog lovers.

[Coats07065 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Labs are the bestest! ;-)

Much love for Olive and Mabel (and, their human, Andrew), for sharing his love for his dogs with us during an unprecedented time in human history (2020).

[Kyle Wheeler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as the videos Andrew Cotter created with Olive and Mabel during the pandemic, but a fun and easy listen on a road trip, particularly if you enjoy Andrew's Scottish accent.

[Katrina Cheney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute audiobook read in Andrew Cotter's lovely Scottish accent. Funny, enjoyable light reading/listening.

[Paula · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audiobook. I only made it half way. I love dogs and expected more from this book. To me, the dry Scottish witt? wasn’t all that funny. Too boring to finish.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

All dog lovers will enjoy this book. The audiobook is a must if you enjoy a Scottish accent.

[Glennis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I checked this out because I found the videos entertaining. Two labs doing dog things with a sportscaster voiceover put a smile on my face along with thousands of other viewers. But this book isn’t just about the dogs and to be honest it would be a very short book. What does come through is the authors love of hiking with his dogs in Scotland. Due to has job he has hiked other places without the dogs, but it seems he loves doing the hikes with his four-legged companions the most. A nice change of pace dog book and something a bit different for the hiker in your life to read. The author also reads the book and since he is a professional sports announcer that works really well.

[Julie Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's definitely worth listening the author read this book. His Scottish brogue is a delight and his dry sense of humour fantastic.