Starter Dog
My Path to Joy, Belonging and Loving This World
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Starter Dog
Buy for $22.35
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Rona Maynard
-
By:
-
Rona Maynard
About this listen
An irresistible tale of reluctant dog ownership full of heart, humor, and wisdom
Rona Maynard wants to love her life again. Stuck in the what-next doldrums after quitting a big job, she needs a new bridge to the world. So, well into their married life, she lets her husband talk her into their first dog, a rescue mutt named Casey. Rona frets about shedding, lost travel opportunities, and arguments about walking duty. She doubts she can love a dog. But when Casey romps through her door, Rona falls hard. Over time he gives her what no human could—a new way of seeing and a pathway to the heart of a moment. Her downtown neighborhood reveals its true face as she explores it with Casey, making new friends and discovering hidden beauty spots. She learns to have adventures on her own stomping ground. Through Casey, Rona falls in love with the world and her place in it, an animal among other animals.
©2023 Rona Maynard (P)2023 ECW PressListeners also enjoyed...
-
The Bird Hotel
- A Novel
- By: Joyce Maynard
- Narrated by: Joyce Maynard
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 563
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 501
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 501
After a childhood filled with heartbreak, Irene, a talented artist, finds herself in a small Central American village where she checks into a beautiful but decaying lakefront hotel called La Llorona at the base of a volcano.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Review of ‘The Bird Hotel’.
- By g. marks on 11-13-23
By: Joyce Maynard
-
The Covenant of Water
- By: Abraham Verghese
- Narrated by: Abraham Verghese
- Length: 31 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,893
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,775
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,763
Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Story Telling At Its Best
- By Regina on 05-06-23
By: Abraham Verghese
-
Tom Lake
- A Novel
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Meryl Streep
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 15,102
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13,993
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 13,979
In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
So incredibly boring
- By Rhonda Morrison on 08-05-23
By: Ann Patchett
-
My Name Is Barbra
- By: Barbra Streisand
- Narrated by: Barbra Streisand
- Length: 48 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,114
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,769
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,769
Barbra Streisand is by any account a living legend, a woman who in a career spanning six decades has excelled in every area of entertainment. She is among the handful of EGOT winners (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) and has one of the greatest and most recognizable voices in the history of popular music. She has been nominated for a Grammy 46 times, and with Yentl she became the first woman to write, produce, direct, and star in a major motion picture. In My Name Is Barbra, she tells her own story about her life and extraordinary career.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
BARBRA IS LIKE BUTTAH!
- By JoeGato57 on 11-08-23
By: Barbra Streisand
-
Hello Beautiful
- A Novel
- By: Ann Napolitano
- Narrated by: Maura Tierney
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6,107
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,442
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,440
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him—so when he meets the spirited and ambitious Julia Padavano in his freshman year of college, it’s as if the world has lit up around him. With Julia comes her family, as she and her three sisters are inseparable: Sylvie, the family’s dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book; Cecelia is a free-spirited artist; and Emeline patiently takes care of them all.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Book was great, performance terrible
- By Amazon Customer on 03-17-23
By: Ann Napolitano
-
The Choice
- Escaping the Past and Embracing the Possible
- By: Dr. Edith Eva Eger
- Narrated by: Tovah Feldshuh
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 5,661
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5,017
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 4,997
A powerful, moving memoir - and a practical guide to healing - written by Dr. Edith Eva Eger, an eminent psychologist whose own experiences as a Holocaust survivor help her treat patients and allow them to escape the prisons of their own minds. The Choice weaves Eger's personal story with case studies from her work as a psychologist. Her patients and their stories illustrate different phases of healing and show how people can choose to escape the prisons they construct in their minds and find freedom, regardless of circumstance.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
One Of The Most Powerful Books I Have Read in My Lifetime!
- By R. F. Wood on 05-11-18
-
The Bird Hotel
- A Novel
- By: Joyce Maynard
- Narrated by: Joyce Maynard
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 563
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 501
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 501
After a childhood filled with heartbreak, Irene, a talented artist, finds herself in a small Central American village where she checks into a beautiful but decaying lakefront hotel called La Llorona at the base of a volcano.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Review of ‘The Bird Hotel’.
- By g. marks on 11-13-23
By: Joyce Maynard
-
The Covenant of Water
- By: Abraham Verghese
- Narrated by: Abraham Verghese
- Length: 31 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 8,893
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 7,775
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 7,763
Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, The Covenant of Water is set in Kerala, on South India’s Malabar Coast, and follows three generations of a family that suffers a peculiar affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning—and in Kerala, water is everywhere. At the turn of the century, a twelve-year-old girl from Kerala’s long-existing Christian community, grieving the death of her father, is sent by boat to her wedding, where she will meet her forty-year-old husband for the first time.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Story Telling At Its Best
- By Regina on 05-06-23
By: Abraham Verghese
-
Tom Lake
- A Novel
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Meryl Streep
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 15,102
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 13,993
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 13,979
In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
So incredibly boring
- By Rhonda Morrison on 08-05-23
By: Ann Patchett
-
My Name Is Barbra
- By: Barbra Streisand
- Narrated by: Barbra Streisand
- Length: 48 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,114
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,769
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,769
Barbra Streisand is by any account a living legend, a woman who in a career spanning six decades has excelled in every area of entertainment. She is among the handful of EGOT winners (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) and has one of the greatest and most recognizable voices in the history of popular music. She has been nominated for a Grammy 46 times, and with Yentl she became the first woman to write, produce, direct, and star in a major motion picture. In My Name Is Barbra, she tells her own story about her life and extraordinary career.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
BARBRA IS LIKE BUTTAH!
- By JoeGato57 on 11-08-23
By: Barbra Streisand
-
Hello Beautiful
- A Novel
- By: Ann Napolitano
- Narrated by: Maura Tierney
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6,107
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 5,442
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,440
William Waters grew up in a house silenced by tragedy, where his parents could hardly bear to look at him, much less love him—so when he meets the spirited and ambitious Julia Padavano in his freshman year of college, it’s as if the world has lit up around him. With Julia comes her family, as she and her three sisters are inseparable: Sylvie, the family’s dreamer, is happiest with her nose in a book; Cecelia is a free-spirited artist; and Emeline patiently takes care of them all.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Book was great, performance terrible
- By Amazon Customer on 03-17-23
By: Ann Napolitano
-
The Choice
- Escaping the Past and Embracing the Possible
- By: Dr. Edith Eva Eger
- Narrated by: Tovah Feldshuh
- Length: 12 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 5,661
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5,017
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 4,997
A powerful, moving memoir - and a practical guide to healing - written by Dr. Edith Eva Eger, an eminent psychologist whose own experiences as a Holocaust survivor help her treat patients and allow them to escape the prisons of their own minds. The Choice weaves Eger's personal story with case studies from her work as a psychologist. Her patients and their stories illustrate different phases of healing and show how people can choose to escape the prisons they construct in their minds and find freedom, regardless of circumstance.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
One Of The Most Powerful Books I Have Read in My Lifetime!
- By R. F. Wood on 05-11-18
-
At Home in the World
- A Memoir
- By: Joyce Maynard
- Narrated by: Joyce Maynard
- Length: 13 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 198
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 172
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 172
In the spring of 1972, Joyce Maynard, a freshman at Yale, published a cover story in The New York Times Magazine about life in the sixties. Among the many letters of praise, offers for writing assignments, and request for interviews was a one-page letter from the famously reclusive author, J.D. Salinger. At Home in the World is the story of a girl who loved and lived with J.D. Salinger, and the woman she became. A crucial turning point in Joyce Maynard's life occurred when her own daughter turned eighteen--the age Maynard was when Salinger first approached her.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Narration Distracted From Beautiful Writing
- By AMANDA on 04-18-16
By: Joyce Maynard
-
Horse
- A Novel
- By: Geraldine Brooks
- Narrated by: James Fouhey, Lisa Flanagan, Graham Halstead, and others
- Length: 14 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6,035
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 5,273
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 5,243
Kentucky, 1850. An enslaved groom named Jarret and a bay foal forge a bond of understanding that will carry the horse to record-setting victories across the South. When the nation erupts in civil war, an itinerant young artist who has made his name on paintings of the racehorse takes up arms for the Union. On a perilous night, he reunites with the stallion and his groom, very far from the glamor of any racetrack.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Love Geraldine Brooks
- By Regina on 06-25-22
By: Geraldine Brooks
-
These Precious Days
- Essays
- By: Ann Patchett
- Narrated by: Ann Patchett
- Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1,835
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,610
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,602
“Any story that starts will also end.” As a writer, Ann Patchett knows what the outcome of her fiction will be. Life, however, often takes turns we do not see coming. Patchett ponders this truth in these wise essays that afford a fresh and intimate look into her mind and heart.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Heartfelt Essays, Beautifully Performed
- By Brent Holcomb on 11-23-21
By: Ann Patchett
-
You Could Make This Place Beautiful
- A Memoir
- By: Maggie Smith
- Narrated by: Maggie Smith
- Length: 7 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 337
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 305
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 305
In her memoir You Could Make This Place Beautiful, poet Maggie Smith explores the disintegration of her marriage and her renewed commitment to herself in lyrical vignettes that shine, hard and clear as jewels. The book begins with one woman’s personal, particular heartbreak, but its circles widen into a reckoning with contemporary womanhood, traditional gender roles, and the power dynamics that persist even in many progressive homes.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Beautiful, relatable, profound
- By Betty Blue on 04-16-23
By: Maggie Smith
-
The Best of Me
- By: David Sedaris
- Narrated by: David Sedaris
- Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,597
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2,144
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,114
For more than 25 years, David Sedaris has been carving out a unique literary space, virtually creating his own genre. A Sedaris story may seem confessional, but is also highly attuned to the world outside. It opens our eyes to what is at absurd and moving about our daily existence. And it is almost impossible to listen without laughing.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Almost No New Material
- By Lizardectomy on 11-05-20
By: David Sedaris
-
The Dog I Loved
- A Novel
- By: Susan Wilson
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 209
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 189
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 186
After spending years in prison for a crime she didn’t intend to commit, Rose Collins is suddenly free. Someone who knows about the good work she has done - training therapy dogs while serving time - has arranged for her early release. This mysterious benefactor has even set her up with a job in the coastal Massachusetts community of Gloucester, on the edge of Dogtown, a place of legend and, for the first time since Rosie's whole world came crashing down, hope.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Excellent
- By Lydia Leah on 09-29-20
By: Susan Wilson
-
A Big Little Life
- A Memoir of a Joyful Dog Named Trixie
- By: Dean Koontz
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,280
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,147
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,141
In a profound, funny, and beautifully rendered portrait of a beloved companion, bestselling novelist Dean Koontz remembers the golden retriever who changed his life. A retired service dog, Trixie was three when Dean and his wife, Gerda, welcomed her into their home. She was superbly trained, but her greatest gifts couldn’t be taught: her keen intelligence, her innate joy, and an uncanny knack for living in the moment.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Indescribable.... I was totally captivated!
- By Leigh on 04-11-13
By: Dean Koontz
-
Have Dog, Will Travel
- A Poet's Journey with an Exceptional Labrador
- By: Stephen Kuusisto
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 5 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 67
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 58
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 58
Stephen Kuusisto was born legally blind - but he was also raised in the 1950s and taught to deny his blindness in order to "pass" as sighted. Stephen attended public school, rode a bike, and read books pressed right up against his nose. As an adult, he coped with his limited vision by becoming a professor in a small college town, memorizing routes for all of the places he needed to be. Then, at the age of 38, he was laid off. With no other job opportunities in his vicinity, he would have to travel to find work.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Travels with Corky
- By CGY on 11-10-18
By: Stephen Kuusisto
-
Facing the Dawn
- By: Cynthia Ruchti
- Narrated by: Libby McKnight
- Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 61
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 54
While her humanitarian husband Liam has been digging wells in Africa, Mara Jacobs has been struggling. She knows she's supposed to feel a warm glow that her husband is nine time zones away, caring for widows and orphans. But the reality is that she is exhausted. Then Liam's three-year absence turns into something more, changing everything and plunging her into a sunless grief. As Mara struggles to find her footing, she discovers that even when hope is tenuous, faith is fragile, and the future is unknown, we can be sure we are not forgotten...or unloved.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Makes one see differently
- By terry knudsen on 10-02-23
By: Cynthia Ruchti
-
Where the Lost Dogs Go
- A Story of Love, Search, and the Power of Reunion
- By: Susannah Charleson
- Narrated by: Susannah Charleson
- Length: 11 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 299
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 273
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 272
In Where the Lost Dogs Go, Susannah Charleson, author of Scent of the Missing and a trusted chronicler of the human-animal bond, dives headlong into the world of missing dogs. The mission to reunite lost pets with their families starts with Susannah's own shelter rescue dog, Ace. While Susannah formally studies animal behavior, lost pet search tactics, social media strategies, and the psychology of loss, Ace also steps up for training. Cheerful, resourceful Ace has revealed a nose for the scent of lost pets. Together they help neighbors and strangers in their searching.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
For Dog Lovers Everywhere
- By Kathy in CA on 07-24-19
-
What a Dog Knows
- A Novel
- By: Susan Wilson
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 171
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 153
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 152
Ruby Heartwood has always lived a life on the move. As a traveling psychic, she makes her living working at carnivals and festivals and circuses around New England. It's a life Ruby has made peace with - settling in one place has never been for her. She needs no one, and no one needs her. Until one night, when she is camped by the side of the road in her trusty Volkswagon "Westie" van, a fierce thunder and lightning storm erupts.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Addicted to this story
- By Carianti on 09-07-21
By: Susan Wilson
-
How to Know a Person
- The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen
- By: David Brooks
- Narrated by: David Brooks
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,014
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,877
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,875
As David Brooks observes, “There is one skill that lies at the heart of any healthy person, family, school, community organization, or society: the ability to see someone else deeply and make them feel seen—to accurately know another person, to let them feel valued, heard, and understood.” And yet we humans don’t do this well. All around us are people who feel invisible, unseen, misunderstood. In How to Know a Person, Brooks sets out to help us do better, posing questions that are essential for all of us: If you want to know a person, what kind of attention should you cast on them?
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A book he was ready to write
- By Adam Shields on 11-17-23
By: David Brooks
Critic reviews
“Among the many canine classics I’ve read, Starter Dog is the leader of the pack. It’s a beautiful tribute to a long marriage in which kindness toward a dog unlocks stored affection between spouses. It is also a powerful meditation on the pleasures of a life spent discovering the world from a dog’s perspective instead of slogging at the office. With humor and insight, Rona proves that some things about being human are best learned from a dog. I loved this book.”—Catherine Gildiner, New York Times bestselling author of Good Morning, Monster
“As a late convert to the world of dogs myself, I devoured Rona Maynard’s gorgeous, engaging prose as fast as my pup wolfs down her morning kibble. Starter Dog is far more than a tale of a woman and her dog. This gem of a book showed me it’s still possible to find simple, everyday beauty in an uncertain world and that love and connection, discovered one daily walk at a time, beat ambition and accomplishment. I loved the heart and wisdom woven through this inspirational book, and—dog lover or not—you’ll love it too.”—Laura Davis, author of The Burning Light of Two Stars and The Courage to Heal
“An elegant and engaging tale. With this tender invitation to get to know her beloved pup Casey, Rona Maynard makes dog lovers of us all—even the most ardent of cat people like me!”—Mark Henick, mental health advocate and bestselling author of So-Called Normal
Related to this topic
-
A Three Dog Life: A Memoir
- By: Abigail Thomas
- Narrated by: Abigail Thomas
- Length: 4 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 187
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 164
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 163
When Abigail Thomas’s husband, Rich, was hit by a car, his brain shattered. Subject to rages, terrors, and hallucinations, he must live the rest of his life in an institution. He has no memory of what he did the hour, the day, the year before. This tragedy is the ground on which Abigail had to build a new life. How she built that life is a story of great courage and great change, of moving to a small country town, of a new family composed of three dogs, knitting, and friendship, of facing down guilt and discovering gratitude.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Eloquent & Honest
- By Sara on 09-30-15
By: Abigail Thomas
-
Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog
- 101 Stories about Life, Love, and Lessons
- By: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Amy Newmark, and others
- Narrated by: Joyce Bean, Phil Gigante
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
Dogs have always been considered companions and playmates that brighten and enrich our lives but they are also wonderful and amazing teachers. The lessons we learn from our canine friends come in all shapes and sizes, just like they do. In this audiobook, dog lovers share what they have learned from our greatest heroes and healers. Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog will delight listeners with humorous, heartwarming, and inspiring stories about lessons our canine friends have taught us.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Awesome Book
- By AmyDavis on 04-24-17
By: Jack Canfield, and others
-
London's Number One Dog-Walking Agency
- A Memoir
- By: Kate MacDougall
- Narrated by: Anna Popplewell
- Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 75
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 65
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 65
In 2006, Kate MacDougall was working a safe but dull job at the venerable auction house Sotheby’s in London. After a clumsy accident nearly destroyed a precious piece of art, she quit Sotheby’s and set up her own dog-walking company. Kate knew little about dogs and nothing about business, and no one thought being a professional dog walker was a good use of her university degree. Nevertheless, Kate embarked upon an entirely new and very much improvised career walking some of the city’s many pampered pooches, branding her company "London's Number One Dog Walking Agency".
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Entertaining light read
- By Amy D. on 07-10-21
By: Kate MacDougall
-
Dog Years
- By: Mark Doty
- Narrated by: Mark Doty
- Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 45
When Mark Doty went looking to adopt a small dog, a cuddly creature who might comfort his terminally ill partner, Wally Roberts, he was surprised to find himself returning home from an animal shelter with a full-grown golden retriever, a dog whose "absolute openess of regard", and paw gently offered through the bars of a cage, proved irresistable to him.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I cried my face off
- By Brad on 10-27-08
By: Mark Doty
-
A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home
- Lessons in the Good Life from an Unlikely Teacher
- By: Sue Halpern
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 64
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 64
At loose ends with her daughter leaving home and her husband on the road, Sue Halpern decided to give herself and Pransky, her under-occupied Labradoodle, a new leash - er, lease - on life by getting the two of them certified as a therapy dog team. Smart, spirited, and instinctively compassionate, Pransky turned out to be not only a terrific therapist but an unerring moral compass. In the unlikely sounding arena of a public nursing home, she led her teammate into a series of encounters with the residents that revealed depths of warmth, humor, and insight Halpern hadn't expected.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
my mistake!
- By joyce on 02-02-14
By: Sue Halpern
-
The Story of Arthur Truluv
- A Novel
- By: Elizabeth Berg
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Berg
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,373
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,200
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,194
Three people find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of belonging in this deeply moving novel. Arthur, an old widower struggling to overcome his grief, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who avoids school by hiding out where Arthur goes every day for lunch. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Sickly Sweet
- By Amazon Customer on 01-19-18
By: Elizabeth Berg
-
A Three Dog Life: A Memoir
- By: Abigail Thomas
- Narrated by: Abigail Thomas
- Length: 4 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 187
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 164
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 163
When Abigail Thomas’s husband, Rich, was hit by a car, his brain shattered. Subject to rages, terrors, and hallucinations, he must live the rest of his life in an institution. He has no memory of what he did the hour, the day, the year before. This tragedy is the ground on which Abigail had to build a new life. How she built that life is a story of great courage and great change, of moving to a small country town, of a new family composed of three dogs, knitting, and friendship, of facing down guilt and discovering gratitude.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Eloquent & Honest
- By Sara on 09-30-15
By: Abigail Thomas
-
Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog
- 101 Stories about Life, Love, and Lessons
- By: Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Amy Newmark, and others
- Narrated by: Joyce Bean, Phil Gigante
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 44
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
Dogs have always been considered companions and playmates that brighten and enrich our lives but they are also wonderful and amazing teachers. The lessons we learn from our canine friends come in all shapes and sizes, just like they do. In this audiobook, dog lovers share what they have learned from our greatest heroes and healers. Chicken Soup for the Soul: What I Learned from the Dog will delight listeners with humorous, heartwarming, and inspiring stories about lessons our canine friends have taught us.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Awesome Book
- By AmyDavis on 04-24-17
By: Jack Canfield, and others
-
London's Number One Dog-Walking Agency
- A Memoir
- By: Kate MacDougall
- Narrated by: Anna Popplewell
- Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 75
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 65
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 65
In 2006, Kate MacDougall was working a safe but dull job at the venerable auction house Sotheby’s in London. After a clumsy accident nearly destroyed a precious piece of art, she quit Sotheby’s and set up her own dog-walking company. Kate knew little about dogs and nothing about business, and no one thought being a professional dog walker was a good use of her university degree. Nevertheless, Kate embarked upon an entirely new and very much improvised career walking some of the city’s many pampered pooches, branding her company "London's Number One Dog Walking Agency".
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Entertaining light read
- By Amy D. on 07-10-21
By: Kate MacDougall
-
Dog Years
- By: Mark Doty
- Narrated by: Mark Doty
- Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 45
When Mark Doty went looking to adopt a small dog, a cuddly creature who might comfort his terminally ill partner, Wally Roberts, he was surprised to find himself returning home from an animal shelter with a full-grown golden retriever, a dog whose "absolute openess of regard", and paw gently offered through the bars of a cage, proved irresistable to him.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
I cried my face off
- By Brad on 10-27-08
By: Mark Doty
-
A Dog Walks into a Nursing Home
- Lessons in the Good Life from an Unlikely Teacher
- By: Sue Halpern
- Narrated by: Karen White
- Length: 7 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 68
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 64
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 64
At loose ends with her daughter leaving home and her husband on the road, Sue Halpern decided to give herself and Pransky, her under-occupied Labradoodle, a new leash - er, lease - on life by getting the two of them certified as a therapy dog team. Smart, spirited, and instinctively compassionate, Pransky turned out to be not only a terrific therapist but an unerring moral compass. In the unlikely sounding arena of a public nursing home, she led her teammate into a series of encounters with the residents that revealed depths of warmth, humor, and insight Halpern hadn't expected.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
my mistake!
- By joyce on 02-02-14
By: Sue Halpern
-
The Story of Arthur Truluv
- A Novel
- By: Elizabeth Berg
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Berg
- Length: 6 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,373
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 1,200
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,194
Three people find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of belonging in this deeply moving novel. Arthur, an old widower struggling to overcome his grief, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who avoids school by hiding out where Arthur goes every day for lunch. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Sickly Sweet
- By Amazon Customer on 01-19-18
By: Elizabeth Berg
-
A Big Little Life
- A Memoir of a Joyful Dog Named Trixie
- By: Dean Koontz
- Narrated by: Christopher Lane
- Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,280
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,147
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,141
In a profound, funny, and beautifully rendered portrait of a beloved companion, bestselling novelist Dean Koontz remembers the golden retriever who changed his life. A retired service dog, Trixie was three when Dean and his wife, Gerda, welcomed her into their home. She was superbly trained, but her greatest gifts couldn’t be taught: her keen intelligence, her innate joy, and an uncanny knack for living in the moment.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Indescribable.... I was totally captivated!
- By Leigh on 04-11-13
By: Dean Koontz
-
The Sportswriter
- Frank Bascombe, Book 1
- By: Richard Ford
- Narrated by: Richard Poe
- Length: 14 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 370
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 294
-
Story3.5 out of 5 stars 297
In this first volume of his Frank Bascombe trilogy, Bascombe is a sportswriter attempting to cope with his failed marriage and the death of his son. Unable to establish true connections with people, Bascombe drifts into and out of various relationships, but retains an introspective eye that allows him to transcend life's obstacles.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
wonderful
- By chris on 03-22-08
By: Richard Ford
-
Just Breathe
- By: Susan Wiggs
- Narrated by: Sandra Burr
- Length: 13 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 252
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 144
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 145
Chicago cartoonist Sarah Moon tackles life's real issues with a healthy dose of sharp wit in her syndicated comic strip Just Breathe. As Sarah's cartoon alter ego, Shirl, undergoes artificial insemination, her situation begins to mirror Sarah's own difficult attempts to conceive. However, Sarah's dreams of the future did not include her husband's infidelity: snag number two in Sarah's so-called perfect life.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Predictable
- By TRACY on 02-11-09
By: Susan Wiggs
-
If Walls Could Talk
- Haunted Home Renovation, Book 1
- By: Juliet Blackwell
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 7 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,758
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,587
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,579
Melanie Turner has made quite a name for herself remodeling historic houses in the San Francisco Bay Area. But now her reputation may be on the line. At her newest project, a run-down Pacific Heights mansion, Mel is visited by the ghost of a colleague who recently met a bad end with power tools. Mel hopes that by nailing the killer, she can rid herself of the ghostly presence of the murdered man - and not end up a construction casualty herself....
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
A Nice Change
- By Carole T. on 06-15-15
By: Juliet Blackwell
-
The Underdogs
- Children, Dogs, and the Power of Unconditional Love
- By: Melissa Fay Greene
- Narrated by: Christina Delaine
- Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 52
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 41
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 41
The Underdogs tells the story of Karen Shirk, felled at age 24 by a neuromuscular disease and facing life as a ventilator-dependent, immobile patient, who was turned down by every service dog agency in the country because she was "too disabled". Her nurse encouraged her to tone down the suicidal thoughts, find a puppy, and raise her own service dog. Karen did this, and Ben, a German shepherd, dragged her back into life.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A nice good read!
- By Natalie Baranski on 04-05-22
-
An Available Man
- A Novel
- By: Hilma Wolitzer
- Narrated by: Fred Sullivan
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 125
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 107
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 107
When Edward Schuyler - a modest and bookish 62-year-old science teacher - is widowed, he finds himself ambushed by female attention. There are plenty of unattached women around, but a healthy, handsome, available man is a rare and desirable creature. Edward receives phone calls from widows seeking love, or at least lunch, while well-meaning friends try to set him up at dinner parties. The problem is that Edward doesn’t feel available. He’s still mourning his beloved wife, Bee, and prefers solitude and the familiar routine of work, gardening, and bird-watching.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Lovely book, easy read, wonderful characters
- By Molly-o on 02-17-12
By: Hilma Wolitzer
What listeners say about Starter Dog
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- MAB
- 05-19-23
Walking with Rona and Casey
Rona’s gifted way of storytelling had me walking the sidewalk alongside her and Casey. So enriching to listen to Rona telling about her transformation. And she prompted me to see my neighborhood anew, even without a dog.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!