Official Review: The Book of Barkley by L.B Johnson
Posted: 20 Apr 2015, 16:05
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of 'The Book of Barkley: Love and Life Through the Eyes of a Labrador Retriever' by L.B. Johnson]
The Book of Barkley: Love and Life Through the Eyes of a Labrador Retriever is a memoir by L.B. Johnson. Johnson delivers a truly beautiful story of life, love and the dog who teaches her about both. The Book of Barkley tells the life and shenanigans of a lovely Labrador Retriever named Barkley and tells how his presence changes Johnson’s own life completely. Johnson experiences hardship and tragedy, but Barkley shows her that life is still beautiful. This memoir shows the power of unconditional love, and it shows how beautiful life can really be. As readers go through this memoir, they will laugh, cry and hold the ones they love close.
I will start off by stating the truth: I love this memoir. When I first began reading, I had my reservations. Memoirs can sometimes fall into lulls in the middle parts and never regain their strides. My fears were abated pretty quickly. This memoir never slows down. Every moment with Barkley and Johnson is a blessing. The writing style is somewhat poetic. Words flow together beautifully. Johnson’s writing style will be easy for readers to follow and will hook readers right away.
It must be a really difficult task to form a memoir around the life of a dog, who obviously does not have the ability to speak or convey emotions as humans do. Johnson makes it seem like a cakewalk. She does a brilliant job describing Barkley. His bright and excitable personality shines up from the pages. I feel a connection to Barkley. I feel like he has been a part of my own life. I can picture him clearly in my mind. I give Johnson a lot of credit for making me feel so connected. Barkley’s shenanigans make me laugh and, at times, hold my breath with worry. I do not want to give away too much, but I love the story of Johnson having to do a bit of “cleaning” in the driveway right as her beau pulls in.
I am extremely impressed with Johnson’s ability to connect Barkley’s stories with those from her own childhood. In the moments when she has to discipline or set guidelines for Barkley, she describes her own childhood and her parents’ ways of setting guidelines. She remembers to be patient with Barkley because of the patience her own parents have with her and her brother. There is an instance of Barkley swimming in a pond, and Johnson weaves this story into one of her own from years before. It is done marvelously, and it leaves me feeling nostalgic for my own days of carefree childhood.
I give The Book of Barkley: Love and Life Through the Eyes of a Labrador Retriever 4 out of 4 stars. The great writing and terrific tale of Barkley and Johnson are now deeply rooted in my heart. I recommend this book to everyone. It does not matter if you own a dog or not. It does not matter if your life is going great or not so great. Everyone can learn from this memoir. Honestly, sometimes we all need a reminder of how powerful love can be. The Book of Barkley gets 4 stars for making me feel the power of love.
The Book of Barkley: Love and Life Through the Eyes of a Labrador Retriever is a memoir by L.B. Johnson. Johnson delivers a truly beautiful story of life, love and the dog who teaches her about both. The Book of Barkley tells the life and shenanigans of a lovely Labrador Retriever named Barkley and tells how his presence changes Johnson’s own life completely. Johnson experiences hardship and tragedy, but Barkley shows her that life is still beautiful. This memoir shows the power of unconditional love, and it shows how beautiful life can really be. As readers go through this memoir, they will laugh, cry and hold the ones they love close.
I will start off by stating the truth: I love this memoir. When I first began reading, I had my reservations. Memoirs can sometimes fall into lulls in the middle parts and never regain their strides. My fears were abated pretty quickly. This memoir never slows down. Every moment with Barkley and Johnson is a blessing. The writing style is somewhat poetic. Words flow together beautifully. Johnson’s writing style will be easy for readers to follow and will hook readers right away.
It must be a really difficult task to form a memoir around the life of a dog, who obviously does not have the ability to speak or convey emotions as humans do. Johnson makes it seem like a cakewalk. She does a brilliant job describing Barkley. His bright and excitable personality shines up from the pages. I feel a connection to Barkley. I feel like he has been a part of my own life. I can picture him clearly in my mind. I give Johnson a lot of credit for making me feel so connected. Barkley’s shenanigans make me laugh and, at times, hold my breath with worry. I do not want to give away too much, but I love the story of Johnson having to do a bit of “cleaning” in the driveway right as her beau pulls in.
I am extremely impressed with Johnson’s ability to connect Barkley’s stories with those from her own childhood. In the moments when she has to discipline or set guidelines for Barkley, she describes her own childhood and her parents’ ways of setting guidelines. She remembers to be patient with Barkley because of the patience her own parents have with her and her brother. There is an instance of Barkley swimming in a pond, and Johnson weaves this story into one of her own from years before. It is done marvelously, and it leaves me feeling nostalgic for my own days of carefree childhood.
I give The Book of Barkley: Love and Life Through the Eyes of a Labrador Retriever 4 out of 4 stars. The great writing and terrific tale of Barkley and Johnson are now deeply rooted in my heart. I recommend this book to everyone. It does not matter if you own a dog or not. It does not matter if your life is going great or not so great. Everyone can learn from this memoir. Honestly, sometimes we all need a reminder of how powerful love can be. The Book of Barkley gets 4 stars for making me feel the power of love.