A Three Dog Life in Around the World in 80 Books

Dec 19, 2008 Nanosynergy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, autobiography-memoir

I was underwhelmed by this highly-rated memoir (Stephen King described it as a punch to the heart. USA Today said, [it:] "offers hope that life can retain its richness after a tragedy." This is a loosely told story of five years in the author's life after her third husband is hit by a car (as a result of chasing their dog into traffic) and suffers permanent, severe brain damage. But at its root, this is Thomas dealing with guilt -- for choosing not to bring her husband home to care for him, for I was underwhelmed by this highly-rated memoir (Stephen King described it as a punch to the heart. USA Today said, [it:] "offers hope that life can retain its richness after a tragedy." This is a loosely told story of five years in the author's life after her third husband is hit by a car (as a result of chasing their dog into traffic) and suffers permanent, severe brain damage. But at its root, this is Thomas dealing with guilt -- for choosing not to bring her husband home to care for him, for loving the new life she builds for herself in his absence, for pushing to get the dog that ultimately leads to her husband's tragedy, and for her ill-timed wish not to have her husband so much under foot after his retirement just prior to the accident, etc, etc. For example, "I was used to eight hours of solitude every day and his presence derailed me.

I suspect my negative reaction is partially because I don't find the author a particularly sympathetic character. I fail to see the "richness" of her life. Thomas appears financially well-off, so the main impact is the loss of relationship with her husband as he was prior to brain damage and how to deal practically and emotionally with this tragedy. She fills the hole of her husband's absence with dogs, buying things, knitting, and writing some books of beautiful prose apparently only about her life. I find no other-centeredness in her writing.

It felt like the author was working hard to be "artsy" - tenses change, jumping around in time and topic, and poor punctuation. I read a review from Publishers Weekly that appears to capture what Thomas may be attempting to do - "Thomas's quick-cutting chronology and confessional narration subtly re-enacts the soupiness of her husband's mind, even as she quietly thanks him for the wisdom of living in the present." The first could be true, but I fail to see the latter.

I'm giving it 3 stars because it contains many quotable lines (which I will add to Goodreads) and sections of beautiful prose - scattered throughout the book that actually may stay with me. This book is also an incredibly quick read. The paperback version has those lovely, uneven pages and a built-in, cover-flap bookmark - which I love. These are not enough, however, to raise this book of uneven writing above 3 stars. ...more

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Jul 09, 2014 Karen rated it liked it

I read this book in a couple of hours, attracted by the title. I love books where dogs are the main characters. In this case the dogs were in the supporting roles, hence the 3 stars. I liked the book ok, I found myself rushing through the book to finish, because I was a bit disappointed. The primary story in this book was author's husband, and the accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury. An injury from which he never quite recovered, and not able to live a "normal" life. I found the s ...more

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May 16, 2008 Sera rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own, biography-memoir

This memoir is very different from those that I generally read where the author overcomes "X" horrible experiences in one's life and excels in some way. Although the book has this premise, it diverges into the question of "if you had a sick spouse, how would you live your life in addition to your involvement with that spouse?"

The book is slow and there are no dramatic moments, but that's what I really liked about this book. I thought that Thomas did a great job of managing to live her life whil ...more

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