Sleeping With Dogs: A Poetic Memoir
By Barbara Barth (Gilbert Street Press, 2024)
Genre: Non-Fiction
Pages: 35
Via: Book Blog Tour
We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Okay. So who can resist a title like that? And a sweet furry face like me to tell ya about it? Wait. Her Momness wants to muscle in. You know Mom.
Snow doggie!
So here we go:
She had me at “dogs.” And I don’t even pretend to be unbiased on the subject of unconditional love on four feet. Hi, Kimmi.
But we totally loved this book. It’s short. Sweet. And to the point. Kind of like… Well. One of us was gonna say “chihuahua.” But we’ve known a few too many Chihuahuas With Attitude. So…
Heartstrings
The Introduction tells us that the author lost her husband in 2008. She turned to writing and dogs to cope. And this piquant and pithy collection of 23 poems in free verse is the latest endeavor. And we really, really liked it. Cuz. You know. Dogs. Besides. The gang’s all here. From a 50-pound German Shepherd named after a Jimi Hendrix tune to Bray, a skittish black Afghan to Queen Chloe, the “pet store dog adoption” and more, this clever little book tugs at the heartstrings.
Some readers will recognize Odette, the “Velcro dog” who was rescued from a backyard breeder. “NO” isn’t in Odette’s vocabulary.
But it’s about a lot more than descriptions of a lot of dogs. Their breeds and personalities and idiosyncrasies. A lifetime of love is packed into a few brief lines of free verse. Like, “In a blink of an eye, joy to despair.” “Fur weathervanes.” Love conquers all. “Nothing is important except the moment/An evening in the company of my dogs.” So much more.
Heartfelt
Heartfelt and effervescent, the entries snap, crackle, and pop as the author skillfully traces the ups and downs of life with dogs while interweaving bits and pieces of her own life story throughout the text. Sentences are staccato-short but packed with meaning and texture. It’s clever. It’s engaging. It’s as warm and welcoming as a sweet furry face we all know and love (Kimber: Even feline fans will love this book!)
Highly readable, Sleeping With Dogs is the kind of book you can read cover to cover in under an hour. You can also dive in for a quick nibble or two and come back to it later. Or sip and savor it slowly, like a fine wine. Or unconditional love on four feet.
So if the mere mention of “poetry” is enough to make you jump up and run screaming from the room, take heart. Or take bark. Because Sleeping With Dogs will grab you collar, kennel, and kibble from page one.
I’d grab a copy now ‘fize you!
Pages & Paws 