To Dance With the White Dog

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Summary: A "must read" for those with aging fathers!
Review: My father loaned me his copy of To Dance with the White Dog and kept bugging me until I started reading it. Of course, once I started, I couldn't put it down. After finishing the book, I understood why he was so persistent. In a few more years, the main character in the book will be my father. I bought my own copy to read again to remind me when the time comes that my father is not a child and he doesn't need me to hover over him. Anyone with aging parents will benefit greatly from this book. I highly recommend it.

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Summary: To Dance With the White Dog review
Review: The book that I read was To Dance With the White Dog by Terry Kay. It's a fiction, young-adult novel about an old man (Sam Peek) whose wife died of a heart attack and who now lives by himself. His children are constantly worried about him since he lives alone and there is no one to help him. But, one day, a mysterious white dog shows up at his porch door, a stray he assumes, and becomes his companion from then on. One strange thing about that dog though; she never shows herself in front of anyone except Sam. This book is pretty much about the rest of his life alone, and with his dog, White Dog. I really enjoyed this novel because it is unlike any I have ever read before. It is beautifully written and deep. Sam keeps reminiscing about his lost wife, the love he and her shared, and his youth. It's a very sad, yet beautiful book. "The reunion lunch was being served at Morgan County High School, and Martha Dunaway Kerr was persiding with dignity over the sparse gathering of old people, but he was glad he was not amoung them. If Cora had lived, if Cora had been with him, it would have mattered; without her, it did not." -page 156. This quote from the book is very powerful to me. It expresses Sam's deep sadness of his wife's death and how much he really misses her. However, this book might not be for everyone. It's a kind of depressing piece of literature; so some may not enjoy it as much.

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Summary: A timely book for anyone dealing with aging parents.
Review: This book, although a little wimsical, gave me new insight into the changing life of my elderly parent. In some places, I laughed so hard I had tears running down my face. In another, the tears were from profound sadness. From now on, I'll try never to "hover" over the elderly in my care.

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Summary: Excellent reading material - keeps your interest!
Review: This has to be my favorite of all Terry's books, and when the movie came out, it followed the book precisely. You will laugh and cry and "feel" the presence of the dog dancing with the old man. A must read book and a must see movie for all ages. Enjoy! Debbie Kay from Rock Spring, GA.

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Summary: Terry Kay is a Master Storyteller
Review: This is a simple, but hauntingly memorable story that is a eulogy to old age. After Sam Peek's wife of 57-years passes away, Sam is faced with living out his final years thwarting the good intentions of his worried children. He is then visited by a white dog, who becomes his companion for the remainder of his life. Terry Kay shows the reader that no car chases, gun play, casual sex or sadistic rituals are necessary to craft an entertaining and moving story. America's best working author, Terry Kay's lean prose is what literature is all about. Highly recommended.

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Summary: A tremendous book about love, and hope.
Review: This is a very well written book which combines love, family and hope. I couldn't put the book down.

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Summary: THOSE WHO LOVE WILL KNOW HOW PERFECT IT IS
Review: This is one of those rare, perfect books that will stay with you for the rest of your life. A bittersweet premise (the prospect of growing old and dying), the book is filled with hope and love and the promise of more to come. The characters (especially the main character and his wife) are unforgettably lovable and people who run the gamut of emotions. The plot never slows, and it speaks straight to the heart. This is a special book that can stand on its own with no special effects needed. Although I'd call it "quiet," it packs an emotional wallop, but one you'll love. Anyone who's really loved will both laugh and cry when reading this book, and I can guarantee one thing--no one will ever forget it. Buy it, cherish it, give it to someone you DEARLY love. This is definitely an American classic and storytelling at its best. Sheer magic!

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Summary: THE BEST BOOK EVER!!
Review: This was the most inspirational book I have ever read...it even beat out Beautiful Joe in my heart! I cried so hard at the end it was almost impossible to read. This book will definitely make you see older people in a new light. Just because you are old does not mean you do not have a mind of your own. Everyone tried to make Sam do as they thought best, not how he felt. I loved this book and growing up in the area he wrote about made the book even more interesting! I would recommend this book to anyone who can read, regardless of age.

Rating:
Summary: THE BEST BOOK EVER!!
Review: This was the most inspirational book I have ever read...it even beat out Beautiful Joe in my heart! I cried so hard at the end it was almost impossible to read. This book will definitely make you see older people in a new light. Just because you are old does not mean you do not have a mind of your own. Everyone tried to make Sam do as they thought best, not how he felt. I loved this book and growing up in the area he wrote about made the book even more interesting! I would recommend this book to anyone who can read, regardless of age.

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Summary: An extraordinary book, full of love, beautifully written.
Review: What a find! "White Dog" is wonderful, a little miracle of a book. A simple tale, really: the story of an 81-year-old man, Samuel Peek, living after the dying of his wife of 57-years. It's about his memories, his relationship with his seven grown children (and one deceased son), his aching hip and -- eventually -- his luminous friendship with a sometimes invisible, mysterious white dog, elusive as air. White Dog's companionship sustains Sam and worries his children, who cannot always see the dog, and so think that their father has lost his mind. The book is beautifully written, sad, funny, full of love -- and has an extraordinary ending.