
Dog Years
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Narrated by:
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Mark Doty
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By:
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Mark Doty
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 openness of regard", and paw gently offered through the bars of a cage, proved irresistible to him. Beau, as the retriever was called, was so malnourished and in need of care that he was initially mistaken for a different breed, and Doty soon found himself attending to the constant needs of a dog starved for attention and a man confined to his bed. But the new member of the household, which also included Arden, Doty's black retriever, managed to provide a measure of comfort to everyone; as Wally neared death, Beau rushed headlong into his new life.
Dog Years is the story of Doty's life with Arden and Beau, two retrievers who, each in his own way, leave a profound mark on him: Arden, who likes sleeping outdoors, even in the rain, who is observant and contemplative, who is friendly and eager to please; Beau, blithe, snatching the glove from his master's hand and running away with it, a mischievous gleam in his eye, always full of daring and bounding toward his next source of amusement.
As his time with the dogs reaches its end, Doty must face the difficult realization that to deal with death is to accept it as the utter loss of an irreplaceable value. To grieve is to understand that, while we may carry on, while we may find new loved ones, the loss we have experienced is the disappearance of a unique individual who will never return, and this tragic disruption will become a permanent part of us.
©2007 Mark Doty (P)2007 HarperCollins PublishersListeners also enjoyed...




















Critic reviews
Less about dogs, more about the author.
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I wept and laughed through Dog Years --and am now listening to it for a second time. It is not your ordinary "dog book." It is much more about the bigger issues of mortality, humanity, humility and love. A truly inspiring, amusing, heartwrenching piece of literature. Thank you, Mr.Doty.
Mark Doty & Dogs
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Laughter and tears
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I feel the need to add that, while Mark Doty is a gay man, and he reflects on both the loss of his partner to AIDS as well as the rebuilding of his life with a new love, the themes in this book are universal and the recounting of personal trauma enriches the text, rather than diluting the author's message. The focus of the book is Doty's relationships with his pets, and how they affect and are reflected in his human relationships. Anyone who has mourned the loss of a loved one, canine or otherwise, will not only connect with Doty but find themselves experiencing their relationships, with their pets and loved ones, with a fuller awareness.
I cried my face off
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KDB
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Sweet, funny, and deeply moving
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Letting go
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Mark grew up, and in "Dog Years" we find that not only has Mark opened his heart to dogs again, but he's opened it to life, however painful it may be.
This is a deconstruction of poetry, of life, of death, of love. Doty's life with his partner is gone into, especially Wally's decline and ultimate death. It's not a heartbreaking slog, but is beautiful and tender, so very respectful. And the relationship with Arden and Bo is wonderful. I've had the gift of many animals in my life, and have been blessed enough to do hospice with them in their last months/days, and "Dog Years" reminded me of how even death can be filled with gratitude, with so much love, with life itself.
Life, Death, and Love Embraced
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Wonderful!!!
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If you have been lucky to love a cherished dog in your life, and want to feel the joy and pain of that experience reflected in gorgeous writing that does justice to you and your dog, please listen to this book.
A Must Read for Anyone lucky enough to have loved a Dog
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