The national bestselling memoir of a friendship between a New England outdoorsman and the scrawny foxhound who came to his door one snowy day. In the midst of a blizzard, late one Christmas night in the 1950s, author Hal Borland heard a howl at the back door of his home on a hundred-acre farm in the Housatonic Valley of northwest Connecticut. Resistant at first, he called around trying to find an … trying to find an owner whose dog had gone missing—with no luck. Finally, with the encouragement of his wife and haunted by memories of his childhood collie, Borland brought some scraps of leftover steak outside. This was his introduction to Pat, a miserable, half-starved, but deeply trusting black-and-white foxhound mutt.
Pat would soon become a member of the family, accompanying Borland on hunts and terrorizing the local woodchuck population—and teaching him that sometimes our most immediate connection to the natural world is through the animals we live with. A longtime journalist and a winner of the John Burroughs Medal for distinguished nature writing, Borland tells the tale of the time he shared with Pat in this touching true story that “will appeal to many sportsmen and to all people who have ever been closely attached to a dog” (The New York Times Book Review).
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I own cats, but love a good dog story. This one holds it own in portraying the love between the dog and it’s chosen owner. I’ll read it again, recommend it to my dog-loving friends.
Easy fun mystery written from the perspective of the dog!
I thoroughly enjoyed it. I felt the respect and love grow between the dog and “caretaker”. Very charming story of the relationship and community in which they lived.
BORING!!!!!
After reading the entire book, I still can’t tell you what the plot of the book is!! I am just about 65 years old and I am an avid reader. I cannot tell you how many books I’ve read in my life, but it was a lot–and this had to be the most boring book I’ve ever read!!! My apologies to the author but I am only telling the truth!!
Gives even a ‘non-animal person,” like myself, a deep understanding and appreciation of the relation between man and dog. Beautifully written, as are all of Nirland’s works.
I enjoyed reading it.
Heartwarming
Excellent writing. Lovely use of language and beautifully realised. A joy to read.
This is more than a “ dog”story. The author is an experienced outdoorsman with the exquisite ability to describe the rugged beauty of wildlife and seasons in New England and to portray his love of animals as they are. The neighbors, his wife, the animal warden are all drawn with an artist’s pencil; It’s a love story of a man in maybe the 50’s and …
Didn’t finish it.
Lacked depth. Couldn’t relate to the narrator— I got the sense that he wasn’t a real dog person and while that may be an unfair judgment, who puts man’s best friend in a shed at night?
I truly enjoyed this book and the time and place in which it was written. Hall Borland is an engaging writer who keeps the story moving along. How can I not love his dog?
Lovely true tale of a lost dog who became a beloved pet. His many adventures make a truly absorbing read.
A nice dog & family story
Great story. Loved it!
I love dog stories. If you’re a dog lover, you’ll like this book – a true story with real life people. When it started, I just knew the dog would die at the end of the book. This is not that type of book. I fell in love with the author, his wife, his neighbors and especially the dog. If you’re a dog lover, you won’t put it down until the end.
Any dog-lover will love this. I have asked my sons to read this!
A delightful account of the relationship between a beloved pet and the couple he adopts. Insights into human/dog relationships, as well as life in that area of the Northeast.
Too much info about flora in author’s surroundings. He also didn’t seem to be close to the dog at all. It needs to be kept in the context of when it was written, and it’s very dated.
Loved this book. So well written!