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I Thought You Were Dead: A Love Story Audiobook
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(3.04) - 671 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
For Paul Gustavson, a hack writer for the wildly popular For Morons series, life is a succession of obstacles. His wife has left him, his father has suffered a debilitating stroke, his girlfriend is dating another man, he has impotency issues, and his overachieving brother invested his parents' money in stocks that tanked. Still, Paul has his friends at Bay State bar, a steady line of cocktails, and a new pair of running shoes (he's promised himself to get in shape). And then there's Stella, the one constant in his life, who gives him sage advice, doesn't judge him, and gives him unconditional love. However, Stella won't accompany Paul into his favorite dive bar. "I'll roll on dead carp, I'll even eat cat turds, but that place grosses me out." Stella, you see, is Paul's aging Lab-shepherd mix, and she knows Paul better than he knows himself.
In I Thought You Were Dead, author Pete Nelson delivers a novel that is all at once heartwarming, heartbreaking, and heart-wrenchingly funny. Most of all, it's a story that proves that when a good dog is by your side—especially one with whom you can have an engaging conversation—life can be full of surprises.
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"I got sucked right into this tale of redemption. I gave it an extra star, just for Stella. I don't want to say too much about it, or it'll be nonstop spoilers, but let it suffice to say that I cried all morning and into the afternoon. There is a tendency for this novel to stray into the Land of Schmaltz, but it doesn't take itself too seriously, and there are so many Bad Dad jokes. In fact, I'll be emailing him the limerick, he'll love it."
— Lara (4 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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Selected for the April 2010 Indie Next List
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A #1 Book Sense Pick in 2010
I Thought You Were Dead Listener Reviews
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" A really special book. "
— E, 2/11/2014 -
" A twist on the typical dog books-- in this one the main human character, Paul, can actually carry on conversations with his dog. An enjoyable read, touching and bittersweet. "
— Becky, 1/31/2014 -
" This book made me cry! anyone that has had a dog that they have loved will cry too. It was a good story that felt like a "real" person that you knew, not just a character from a book. Thanks Alison for letting me borrow it. "
— Suzanne, 1/28/2014 -
" Life lessons coupled with the relationship between a dog and his owner - a must read! "
— Alyssa, 1/22/2014 -
" Funny, sad, love story. Stella the golden lab who gives honest advice. A quirky at times book but one that stayed with me for a long time after I finnished reading. "
— Nancy, 1/22/2014 -
" Much of the book is a 3-star rating, but I liked the ending so much I raised it to a 4-star. A little bit of a tear jerker (this is a dog story, so we all know how those stories go), but it has an uplifting ending. "
— Becky, 1/21/2014 -
" It was...okay. There were a few great insights, though I'm not sure I'd necessarily recommend this to anyone. It was just okay. "
— Meghan, 1/18/2014 -
" I found the conversations in this book between Paul & Stella to be quite believable. I loved Stella's quiet dignity and her logical 'voice' in her conversations with Paul. I know this book was about more than a dog, but she was my favorite part. "
— Nikki, 1/12/2014 -
" A love story with a funny and wise dog and she talks! What's not to like? A mixed up middle aged man has a dog who is more than he deserves, but she loves him anyway and helps him find his way back to love. It's funny, sweet, sad, and satisfying. "
— Ruth, 12/26/2013 -
" Thanks to my mom's suggestion (and subsequent b-day gift) I read and really enjoyed this. Interesting family dynamics and I usually enjoy books about dogs (big surprise there). "
— Samantha, 12/23/2013 -
" Decent book chronicling the growth of an adult man through different loving relationships. The fact that he could 'talk' to his dog was a little weird, and it was never explained. However, the dog-man relationship turned out to be the most interesting and touching story in the whole book! "
— Sabrina, 12/20/2013 -
" It was a little hard to get into the idea of a talking dog, but once I did I was hooked. This is kind of the male version of chick-lit. Warning: If you are a dog lover then you will bawl while reading this book. "
— Angie, 12/20/2013 -
" If you're a "dog person"(and I am)you will enjoy this book. Paul (the human) and Stella (the dog) have some delightful and insighful conversations. An easy read for me, and full of both wit and sadness. "
— Debby, 12/14/2013 -
" This book had quite a bit of unreached potential. The discussions with the dog weren't even the most interesting part and it didn't feel like we were really ever completely engaged. Skip it. "
— John, 12/11/2013 -
" Delightful. Almost fluff, but not quite. The voice of the dog didn't bother me a bit, which I thought it might. Linda and Missy should both read this. "
— Stephanie, 8/20/2013 -
" A roller coaster of emotions. He carries on conversations with Stella his aging dog. Very good. "
— Celeste, 1/31/2013 -
" Kind of depressing but funny in parts. Love that he talks to his dog. "
— Sandyezzell, 11/9/2012 -
" I enjoyed the story but felt like it got wrapped up too neatly at the end. "
— Sam, 11/3/2012 -
" I really wanted to like this book but it just seemed to creep along and I lost interest. "
— Anne, 10/26/2012 -
" Highly recommended and not just to dog lovers. The protagonist has women problems and a drinking problem. His story is very relatable and told with a lot of humor. "
— Susan, 8/31/2012 -
" I didn't expect this book to make me cry! I thought it was going to be a light-hearted book about a guy and his dog, but it was more than that, and I have to say I wasn't ready to be sitting in Firestone waiting on my car to be fixed and crying over this book! It was a very good read! "
— Beth, 8/21/2012 -
" A sweet story, maybe a little bland or typical for the male midlife crisis, but well told and honest. "
— Anne, 8/17/2012 -
" This was a surprise. It's sweet and...sort of beautifully understated. The real love story, to my mind, is between our narrator and Stella. "
— Kathy, 7/6/2012 -
" I like dogs. I loved Stella. Thought it was an interesting approach to explore challenges of a current life situation. The title is a turn-off, but maybe a marketing ploy? Try it. "
— Kathi, 7/1/2012 -
" I should know better than to pick up and read any book with an animal in it. I always cry. "
— Tara, 5/27/2012 -
" A funny, poignant, quirky story about a guy who has a lot of dysfunction in his life, but his one saving grace is Stella, his talking dog. It's not as hokey as it sounds. It's good. Give it a try. "
— Janet, 2/25/2012 -
" This book made me laugh, cry, and sit back and ponder . Loved it. "
— Danielle, 11/5/2011 -
" Stella is awesome! What a dog. Wish my dog could talk. "
— Julia, 11/3/2011 -
" Terrific interaction between the two protagonists. Makes me look at my dog and wonder where I went wrong. "
— Annie, 9/9/2011 -
" I didn't like the sad part in the book. Hit a little to close to home for me. A little less detail on that would have been better at least for me and anyone who has been there. "
— Pam, 7/31/2011 -
" I didn't expect this book to make me cry! I thought it was going to be a light-hearted book about a guy and his dog, but it was more than that, and I have to say I wasn't ready to be sitting in Firestone waiting on my car to be fixed and crying over this book! It was a very good read! "
— Beth, 4/29/2011 -
" A roller coaster of emotions. He carries on conversations with Stella his aging dog. Very good. "
— Celeste, 4/29/2011 -
" I am actually rating this book a 3.5, but because I liked the ending I'm rounding up to a 4. Good book, very readable, of course I loved Stella. This would be a nice rainy day book or a beach read. "
— Barb, 4/22/2011 -
" Super great book - I LOVED Stella and the author has clearly had some really wonderful relationships with his dogs!! Quick, satisfying read fulfilling all the requirements set forth by the female reader!! "
— treehugger, 4/19/2011 -
" I won this book on Goodreads, the cover of the book caught my eye, I love dogs, I laughed some and cried some, it was an easy read, well written, you start to read and you can't put it down, at least for me it was. Well worth the read, would recommend to anyone. "
— Julie, 4/14/2011 -
" Zipped right through this charming story. "
— Karen, 4/11/2011 -
" Delightful. Almost fluff, but not quite. The voice of the dog didn't bother me a bit, which I thought it might. Linda and Missy should both read this. "
— Stephanie, 4/4/2011 -
" The sad life of Paul, a divorced writer, as seen through the eyes of his loving dog, Stella. Intriguing premise, but it doesn't live up to its early promise of an unusual relationship between a man and his dog. "
— Anne, 3/23/2011 -
" This book had quite a bit of unreached potential. The discussions with the dog weren't even the most interesting part and it didn't feel like we were really ever completely engaged. Skip it. "
— John, 3/20/2011 -
" The dog in this book is incredibly wise...and just might be the only saving grace. I couldn't get into the book unfortunately. "
— Komal, 3/11/2011
About Pete Nelson
Pete Nelson is the author of several books, including Left for Dead. He is also a singer-songwriter with a select but devoted following. He is not, however, the Pete Nelson who writes books about tree houses, although he has nothing against them. He lives in Westchester County, New York.
About Josh Clark
Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant are the duo behind the award-winning tri-weekly podcast Stuff You Should Know. The pair have been working together on the show since it began in 2008, and it has gone on to become one of the most downloaded podcasts in history. They currently reside in Atlanta, GA.