One Good Dog

by Susan Wilson

Book Overview

" One Good Dog is a wonderful novel: a moving, tender, and brilliantly crafted story about two fighters--one a man, one a dog-- hoping to leave the fight behind, who ultimately find their salvation in each other. Susan Wilson's clear and unflinching style is perfectly suited for her story that strips away the trappings and toys we all hide behind, and exposes our essential need to give and accept love in order to thrive."--Garth Stein, New York Times...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312571259
• ISBN13: 9780312571252
• Release Date: March 2010
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 310 Pages
• Weight: 0.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Nice easy read

I have never read this author before but I really enjoyed this book. It was a wonderful story of redemption for both characters (man & dog) I think most will be able to relate to many of the emotions touched upon in this book. Nice easy read, good for most ages.

Ah, Redemption!

a heartfelt story of second chances. have a big box of tissures ready, as you will need them.

Great Book! Highly recommend!!!!

I cannot recommend this book enough. The book is good, and the writing style of the author fantastic. As an added bonus, the story takes place in Boston, and as a former resident of that great city, I can relate immensely with many of locations described in the book. The story is really two stories. Half of the book details our hero Adam March's rise and fall within corporate America. Without giving anything anyway, Adam suffers a nervous breakdown at work which results in him losing his job. This starts a cascade of events that eventually results in Adam losing everything. The rest of this story chronicles his comeback from the abyss, as well as offering glimpses into his background that explain the reason why he is who is. The other half of the story is told from from the perspective of a Pitt bull who started his life out as dog fighter. He is eventually rescued, and adopted by Adam March. The rest of the story chronicles the bonding process between this dog and Adam in beautiful detail. As a dog owner and animal lover, I found everything that the author described as far as the dog's thinking to be extremely believable, and not unreasonable. In short, this story was extremely moving, and I found myself tearing up at several points in the book. I have a few key takeaways after reading this story - (1) Don't judge a book by it's cover. Pitt bulls are great dogs, and I think if you are able and in the market for a great dog, you should consider taking one of these guys into your home, and (2) dog fighting is abomination, and those engaged in this practice should be thrown in prison for life.

A moving tale of love and redemption

In the tradition of Marley and Me and The Art of Racing in the Rain, One Good Dog is a moving book about how a dog changes a human's life for the better. Adam March, a ruthless, self-made Boston millionnaire seems to have it all, living a picture perfect life, surrounded by wealth and privilege. Then, in one instant, all of that changes, and he finds himself alone, unemployed, and doing community service in a homeless shelter. Chance, a pit bull mix bred as a fighting dog, living in a dark and vicious world, takes a random moment to escape from his captors. Human and dog come together, and as One Good Dog unfolds, both fight for a chance at a new life. This is a tale of love, loyalty, new discoveries, and redemption, told from the point of view of Adam March, but also from the point of view of Chance, the former fighting dog. Wilson masterfully lets Chance tell the story in his own words. Some of the passages describing his fighting life are disturbing, but his gradual introduction to the world of being a pet dog are charming and heartwarming. I found this book hard to put down. The narrative from the two different points of views fascinated me and added to the pace of the story. You'll find yourself routing for the initially extremely unlikeable character of Adam March and for the dog with the rough beginning. Entertaining, moving, and heartwarming, fans of dog memoirs, or pet memoirs in general, will thoroughly enjoy this book. Ingrid King, Author Buckley's Story

A good read!

It has been a while since a book really held my attention to the point of missing sleep and thinking about it in the middle of the day like this one did. It was a bit predictable but that didn't matter. I saw the charactors and felt a part of the story. It was about each finding resolution after a lifetime of hardknocks. Also about the bond that grows creating a better life for both of them. It really touched my heart.

One Good Dog is One Good Read

I very seldom get the opportunity to engage in casual reading and when I do, I usually partake of the mystery genre. I saw a review of this book and took a chance on it and must say that, while not a literary classic, it was one of the finest books I've read in years. Kudos to Ms. Wilson!

One good dog book

This book held my attention as soon as I started reading. Author Susan Wilson combines skilled writing with plot strategems that will positively be called "classic" and negative derided as "trite," depending on your perspective. The book begins with a scenario in an animal shelter with a clever twist. We soon meet Adam March, a demanding self-centered CEO candidate of a prestigious company. March is the stereotypical man on the way up, owning three homes with a "money is no object" lifestyle. One day, following an accidnetal emotional trigger, he commits an act that has legal, moral and financial consequences. He loses everything and ultimately finds a new life through working at a homeless shelter and yes, inadvertently adopting a dog. His pit bull mix also has been cast out by society and also experiences trouble escaping his past (sometimes literally). There's even a romantic connection to Adam, his new life, and of course, the dog. I read the book before reading reviews, barely skimming the book jacket blurb. It's a tribute to the author that I didn't find myself questioning the plot, characters or setting. I wanted escape fiction and there it was. The pacing and suspense were flawless. The ending was plausible...just. Inevitably this book will be compared to Garth Stein's Art of Racing in the Rain. Stein's writing is tighter and more lyrical. His book is much more painful to read, but also has stronger descriptions of the environment and some truly memorable passages. One Good Dog should stand on its own. If I were looking for comparisons, I'd compare it more to Lost & Found by Jacqueline Sheehan, rather than Racing in the Rain.