Wednesday 30 July 2014

Book ~ "A Big Little Life: A Memoir of a Joyful Dog Named Trixie" (2011) Dean Koontz

From Goodreads ~ 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. Whether chasing a tennis ball or protecting those she loved, Trixie gave all she had to everything she did, inspiring Dean and Gerda to trust their instincts and recapture a sense of wonder that will remain with them always. 

Trixie lived fewer than twelve years; in this wide world, she was a little thing. But in every way that mattered, she lived a big life.

This is the story of Trixie (1995 - 2007), beloved dog of author Dean Koontz.  For many years, by choice it was just Dean and his wife, Gerda.  They were supporters of Canine Companions for Independence (CCI), a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.  Trixie had been trained as a service dog but couldn't continue because of an injury.  Dean and Gerda adopted her and their lives were never the same after that.

This book is their story of the three of them together and how Trixie influenced their lives and those of their friends and acquaintances.  Trixie was a smart,  friendly and loving dog.  I loved reading how the Koontzes referred to her as their daughter and treated her as such ... and had a ton of cutsie nicknames for her. Animal lovers/pet owners (like me!) will relate ... you get back a thousand times what you give.  Non animal lovers/pet owners will probably roll their eyes at the extent they spoiled Trixie and the way they treated her.

This is the first book I've read by this author and I enjoyed it.  The writing style was at times funny and sarcastic and Koontz wasn't afraid to give his opinion on things.

1 comment:

Masshole Mommy said...

Awww, this sounds like a sweet book.