Book description
Why do dogs speak so profoundly to our inner lives? When Mark Doty
decides to adopt a dog as a companion for his dying partner, he finds
himself bringing home Beau, a large golden retriever, malnourished and
in need of loving care, to join Arden, the black retriever. As Beau
bounds back to life, the two dogs become Mark Doty's companions, his
solace, and eventually the very life force that keeps him from
abandoning all hope during the darkest days - their tenacity, loyalty
and love inspiring him when all else fails.
Dog Years is a remarkable work: a moving and intimate memoir
interwoven with profound reflections on our feelings for animals and
the lessons they teach us about life, love, and loss. Mark Doty writes
about the heart-wrenching vulnerability of dogs, the positive energy
and joy they bring, and the gift they bear us of unconditional love. A
book unlike any other, Mark Doty's surprising meditation is radiantly
unsentimental yet deeply affecting. Beautifully written, Dog
Years is a classic in the making.
Mark Doty is the author of seven poetry collections and three books
of non-fiction. He has won numerous awards, including the National Book
Critics Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the T. S.
Eliot Prize. He is a professor at the University of Houston and lives in
New York City.
