When Ed Breslin bought a new dog, Miss Dutchie, he wasn’t expecting his beloved pet to help him beat alcoholism. But caring for Miss Dutchie completely transformed Ed’s outlook on life. The unconditional love Miss Dutchie and Ed shared was a crucial incentive to overcoming his devastating addiction, and this moving story speaks to anyone who has ever loved a dog or battled their own personal demons.
Download and start listening now!
"Loved this book...found it at the library must read for any dog lover Well written always kept me engaged. l am now going to look for any other books by this author" — Carol Salamone (5 out of 5 stars)
"Loved this book...found it at the library must read for any dog lover Well written always kept me engaged. l am now going to look for any other books by this author"
“So pleasurable to read that it almost overcomes the underlying pain and loss at its heart.”
“A Labrador retriever taught Breslin more about life than any teacher had…His hymn to Miss Dutchie is heartwarming and heartbreaking.”
“Drinking with Miss Dutchie is clearly a book that Ed Breslin ‘had’ to write: it’s an expression of grief as pure and as harrowing as Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking. That it is centered on a dog instead of a human being subtracts nothing from its power. As surely as if Dutchie had been a spouse or a child, her spirit, her splendor, evoked an absolute love from the Breslins, and the translation of that love into grief convinces us of its actual majesty. To borrow a word from Didion’s title, this is a magical book.”
“Ed Breslin’s memoir is tough-minded and tender-hearted. Compulsively readable, it details the darkness of his drinking days and the great light shed by his companion dog, Miss Dutchie. Half elegy, half life lessons, Breslin’s book eulogizes a great-hearted Labrador retriever who taught her master the joy of living.”
“Breslin writes with an elegant simplicity…The book is a sweet, sad tribute to that purest of all relationships.”
“An intense book, a real page turner, one of the best and also one of the most unusual, celebrating the human-animal bond. It’s the kind of book that one remembers for a very long time.”
“Breslin writes intensely and emotionally about psychic pain, grief, and the loss of friends and dogs.”
“Dutchie is as clearly drawn as any literary figure, and Breslin’s love and gratitude toward her are palpable.”
“She ‘taught me more about life than any teacher I ever had,’ Breslin writes, ‘and she never said a word.’ Breslin is just the man to find those words. Grover Gardner narrates with the consummate skill of an AudioFile Golden Voice.”
“In his debut memoir, former book editor Breslin writes about the death of his cherished dog, Miss Dutchie, and how, with her help, he succeeded in overcoming alcoholism…A moving story of love, death, and recovery.”
" This is not the book I thought it was. If anyone knows which book has a gay dandy author expounding upon his exploits whilst drinking with his dog, let me know, because that is not this book. "
" A tough read for me as I just lost my beloved pet of 18 years 6 mos. ago. I would recommend for the animal lovers, but it broke my heart to feel the pain of his loss. I guess that speaks well of the author to bring that pain across to the reader. "
" Good good stuff. Love the link between addiction and dog-ownership and I concur! "
" I love dogs so I loved this book. I recommend this book for anyone who loves dogs or is dealing with addictions. "
" A good read. Thoroughly enjoyed the book. "
" I won this from a goodreads giveaway. Enjoyed the book. I am an avid dog person, especially labradors...they are my breed. Also loved the size of the book. And thank you to the author and his wife for adopting! "
Ed Breslin (a.k.a. E. B. Cross) is a former editor and publisher who spent two decades in the book business. He now writes and edits full time. He lives with his wife in New York City and in the Hudson River Valley.
Grover Gardner (a.k.a. Tom Parker) is an award-winning narrator with over a thousand titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he has won three prestigious Audie Awards, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than thirty Earphones Awards.
Audiobooks Were Restored to Your Cart
[ShoppingCartItemsAddedOnMerge] audiobook(s) were left in your cart from a previous visit, and saved to your account for your convenience. You may view or remove these audiobooks on the shopping cart page.