Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me a Family Man

by Brian McGrory

Recounts how the author fell in love with a veterinarian and pursued a family life replete with several pets, including a portly rooster who initially treated him as a male rival and eventually prompted inspirational realizations about love, acceptance, and change.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Animals, Humor, Biography, Autobiography, Biography Memoir

383 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

McGrory is the editor of The Boston Globe. A 23-year veteran of the Globe, he was previously a Metro columnist and associate editor. Born and raised in Boston and the region, he has also worked as the Globe’s Metro editor, White House reporter, national reporter, general assignment reporter, and suburban reporter.

Reviews

[Deacon Tom (Feeling Better) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Rooster of a Good Time.

I really enjoyed this crazy story. It starts out as a touching, even romantic story about his first child who passes and breaks his heart.

Then life changes and suddenly he is “stuck with “a rooster called Buddy.

Even though the book is funny and an apparently typical animal story, there are some serious messages behind it. That is what makes the story rich for me--the fact that he learned life lessons from this rooster who was not his favorite.

For me that said there are people in my life who may not be my favorites, yet embracing them and listening to their points of view and their different behavior, may learn something that could improve me.

This is a fun book even if you don’t go into the deep messages. It pulls them out of the reader.

A strong recommendation

[Beth · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I'm a bit prejudiced, having grown up on James Herriot, but Buddy: How a Rooster Made Me a Family Man was a let down. I went into this book with high hopes for humor and heartwarming stories. What I got was a hodge-podge of information, not necessarily in chronological order, that was only slightly touching and humorous, but more often irritating.

Personally, I feel that the best part of this book what the part that had nothing to do with the rooster. The first fourth of the book is about a Golden Retriever that McGrory owned for a decade. I would have much rather read about this seemingly perfect dog than the awkward scenes that come after. Perhaps it's another prejudice of mine, being a farm girl from rural Kentucky, but I found this whole family's treatment and reactions to the rooster Buddy annoying and unrealistic. I've owned plenty of roosters, and I've had a chicken or two that was tame enough to carry around, but the over-exaggerated bullying that McGrory describes seems odd to me. Have roosters been known to go after people, especially children? Yes. But usually the slightest display of dominence will make them back down. McGrory's running terror of this bird is ridiculous, and makes me feel a little ashamed for him. There were plenty of times while reading this book I just wanted to shake him and yell "Man up! It's a bird, for crying out loud, show some self-respect!"

Which leads me to another complaint I had: Pam and her kids. Now, granted, I am not a mother nor a product of divorce, so I can hardly criticize the familial aspect of the story. I have no basis to say if the behavior that McGrory talks about is normal or not -- even if I find it grating (such as his rush on New Year's Day to buy two identical American Girl dolls and four outfits for a few hundred dollars to curry his stepdaughters' favor... and I have a few American Girl dolls myself!) However I found the girls bratty and his wife manipulative. If he was hoping to endear his new family to audiences I'm afraid he fell violently short. I'm married, and I'm an animal lover, and I admit to sometimes wheedleing my husband into allowing me to bring home pets he might not be crazy about, but if I saw an animal of mine getting along so poorly with my husband - to the degree that McGrory describes - and if he felt truly unsafe and uncomfortable with it, I would find it a home as quickly as possible. Instead, Pam blatantly manipulates, lies, and tricks McGrory into allowing this rooster to stay. She spends an exorbitant amount of money to build him an absurd coop (what ever happened to chickens roosting in trees, or in barn rafters?) and a safety fence. Her utter lack of sympathy for her husband astounds me. Especially after the rooster, as McGrory accounts, attacked a "sitter" so badly that it knicked a vein in the man's leg forcing him to use a tourniquet to slow the bleeding.

All in all I would not recommend this book to another person. The beginning was almost totally out of sync with the rest of the book, the middle was irritating, and the end was shockingly weak. Read some James Herriot, or even Susan Chernak Mcelroy, if you're looking for a touching animal memoir.

[Matt · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received this book from Goodreads after winning one of their give aways. If not for that, I may not have finished it.

While the title of this book implies it is about a rooster, it really is more of mid-life autobiography of Brian McGrory. The first part of the book describes Brian’s life with his dog after his divorce while living in Boston. The book continues, describing how Brian begins to date his veterinarian, Pam, who lives in the suburbs, and happens to become the owner of a rooster. The stories ends after Pam and Brian marry and purchase a suburban house which they share with various pets and part-time with Pam’s kids.

I think my main issue with this book is that it is an autobiography about a man that you really never like throughout the book. It’s hard to define what it is that is unlikeable about him, but I think he just comes off as a constant complainer who just can’t deal with any change. He constantly and I mean just about every few pages, points out how he can’t stand to be in the suburbs and how life in the city is just so much better. He goes to a restaurant and nobody knows who he is and he gets no special service! I also don’t think that it necessarily is just him you don’t like. Both he and his wife spoil his whiney step kids every step of the way. After Pam makes the kids a breakfast consisting of waffles, bacon, omletes, and multiple other things, the kids and Pam make Brian go out to spend $400 on dolls seven days after Christmas, and the kids can’t even be bothered to go with Brian.

The other part that I didn’t particularly like is that at first glance this appears to be a story about a man who loves animals and who the rooster changes in to this great family man. After the first third of the book or so, this doesn’t seem to be the case. After the beginning of the book lovingly describes his first dog, he barely even introduces us to the dog he gets afterwards. Also, I don’t see how the rooster makes Brian a family man. In the last few pages he grudgingly accepts that his new life will be in these horrible suburbs with a rooster who even in the last few pages he hopes will be taken by animal control. He only slightly shows characteristics consistent with a “family man” when after careful consideration of what the right steps would be after his step-daughter breaks his arm, he decides he should go to the hospital to be with her.
Lastly, this also appears to bill itself as a humorous story. It really wasn’t. Not even slightly. It really became a story about a self-centered man and family you really didn’t care about.

[Kath McStay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I do not, I absolutely do not read books about animals. Am I an animal hater? Far From it. I love animals. Pretty much all animals are on my favorites list. Currently there are four cats and a dog in my home. My fur kids are aways rescues. I adore them all. I have had other dogs, other cats, a few rabbits, and the poor chameleon and ill fated mouse. I have been known to dress down folks I see mistreating animals or allowing them to be in harms way. I have badgered neighbors until they finally learned that keeping their pets indoors was much better for the cats, and kept the safe, and healthier for longer.

My reading friends know to warn me off of books that might upset me, when there are animals involved. I accept their kind advice and pass by books about cats in libraries or dogs on journeys and so forth. Dangerous ground, that. Where there are animals, there are people who lose animals to their inevitable death. I can't endure their pain, it reminds me too much of my own. Anyone who has had animals has felt that pain. The loss of a friend who loves you unconditionally and with complete abandon is pretty hard to ignore. Impossible in fact.

So why did I choose to read this book? Buddy, the rambunctious and sometimes obnoxious rooster seemed safe. I thought it would be okay. Also, I didn't ay attention. I saw that it was about a man, his journey to becoming a a family man and of course the family that brought him to that point in his life. I somehow missed the perfectly and completely obvious comment in the book description that Harry, a wonderful, loving, cheerful and loyal dog dies in this book. This is not a spoiler.. go ahead and read the book description. There it is for all to see. All except me. So be warned.

Brian sounds like a good man, a kind man and one who just wants to do the right thing, and to do it while having a happy life. Of course, he doesn't know how to make his life happy any more than the rest of us, but Harry helps him to find his way. It isn't unusual for a dog to make us happy. It's fairly common really. But Harry doesn't work alone. There are various animals, various people and many little bumps along the road. But in the end Brian learns something from Buddy. And what he learns is just possibly one of the secrets of the universe. So, go ahead and read it, don't be afraid. This is a story that will make you cry. This is also a story that will make you smile, hold your breath and sigh with relief. It's well worth the cry

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

McGrory has been happily single for many, many years. Well, maybe not so happily. He wishes often that he had a family. A wife. Kids. Wishes for a family a lot.

Then he meets a vet and, before he knows it, he has a family. Fabulous fiancée. A real family. With kids who worship at your feet one minute and then ignore you the next. And, unexpectedly, a rooster.

Should be required reading for all men out there who cluelessly marry into an established family.

[CindySR · Rating 4 out of 5]

The life of a divorced, childless, middle-aged, newspaper editor changes dramatically when he marries a veterinarian with two young daughters and a rooster. True story well written with humor and real emotion. Spoiler that the super sensitive might want to know about: two animal deaths are dealt with delicately

edited to add: Their courtship/engagement story is almost too perfect, I have to wonder if he embroidered a little.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing. I expected to be rooting for Brian and his new family based on the premise of the book - a city-dwelling bachelor becoming a suburban family man via his vet and her two daughters. But honestly while I enjoyed and related to Brian's relationship with his dog Harry at the beginning of the book, after that part I felt it was lacking in substance as well as any likable characters. Brian had continued angst about moving from Boston to the suburbs. Living in the city on his own clearly suited him. So he constantly questioned the move. After many many many pages of this, I felt like saying to him, "Either get over this and commit or move back to the city already." Add to that the seeming obliviousness of his fiancée and her daughters to his plight. They alternately excluded him or seemingly emotionally manipulated him. The daughters were not endearing (as they were portrayed) and seemed to pull on his heart strings - pulling him in emotionally when they needed or wanted something and pushing him away otherwise. The worst of this being sending him on his own on New Years to American Girl to spend hundreds of dollars on dolls and outfits, a week after Christmas, but they couldn't come because they wanted to be home with their mom.... At other times he sacrifices outings with friends in an effort to come home to the girls only to find that they've already eaten and basically ignore him while he eats alone at the counter. But yet he never seems to communicate to his fiancée about any of this.

And then there are the various pets including the rooster of the title.... I don't understand who would possibly want to live in that house with all those animals who took clear precedence over Brian. But I just honestly did not care at all about this bird despite the pages upon pages of describing his behavior. The concept that the rooster was supposed to be teaching Brian major life lessons just seemed forced and hollow.

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have had this book on my to be read pile for a while. This is one book where I was really looking forward to reading this book. I used to raise chickens and turkeys. For a brief time we even had a rooster. Yet he went to a good home as living close to neighbors is not always a good mix. Plus, my dad did not enjoy being woken up by the crowing of the rooster. I loved my chickens. In addition, it has been a long while since I have read a good chicken story.

Sadly, this book was not what I was looking for. There was one brief moment early on where Buddy and Brian had "guy" battle to see just who was boss. Buddy won. As I read this, I had a smile on my face and even had to read this to my husband. Yet, this was the last time that Buddy would make an appearance in a long time. I can't tell you when he appears again as I got to chapter nine and put the book down. Not to take anything away from Mr. McGrory but I really was only intrigued in Buddy and his encounters with him and not so much about his life. Which if it had been more interesting then maybe I would have been more invested.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did have a very hard time believing that a vet wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a hen and a rooster without a blood test. Especially beings the rooster in question was a White Plymouth Rock.

[Lesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pets are the absolute best and rooster pets are dinosaur freak friends of a special variety. McGrory's story is sweet and relatable, at least to me, we have 8 🐓

[Janine Graves · Rating 1 out of 5]

As most everyone else has said, the most engaging part of this book is when the author describes his relationship with Harry, his Golden Retriever.

I did love that part of the book, but it only serves the purpose of a springboard to how he met his manipulative second wife, the Golden's veterinarian, and her atrociously spoiled rotten offspring.

It went completely downhill from there.

As a women who has a blended family, where my husband and I have 5 children combined from our first marriages and a child shared, I was absolutely appalled that a woman of Pam's apparent intelligence could be so one sided in her relationship with Brian, and allow her girls free reign to obtain anything and everything they wanted under the guise of "OH, SO WOE ARE WE MOM. YOU AND DADDY ARE DIVORCED."

Gross. She taught her daughters well though. Or the sex between the author and his future wife must have been spectacular because he jumps through hoops for these three females that Ringling Brother's Canine troop wouldn't consider.

The children show absolutely no respect for any adult figure in their lives, including the author, yet fawn over poultry. Granted, Buddy, the title character IS a PET rooster, but Mr. McGrory's feelings, comfort, place in the household, safety and respect are put behind a bird that is allowed to defecate in the house.

Really?

I read this book in one day, only because I was anxious to see that a major turn around was coming. I prayed that someone [the mother?] would teach the girls that that manners and others' feelings count, before a pet rooster. I kept hoping, even by the 75% mark, the epiphany would come and the author would realize that REAL people don't act like his highly educated fiancée and her demon spawn. I wish he would realize that blended families may have a tough go of it at first, but not to the lengths that these kids and the Mom put him through for a divorce and a rooster. A rooster.

Mr. McGory spends a lot of time describing how ideal his childhood was, and I have to say, mine wasn't perfect, but we had a heck of a lot of fun in a childhood and it was very similar to the authors. My favorite line? When Pam says "I'll see if the girls are on board." [with a vacation he planned] and he writes "We were put on board [growing up]" Yet, he allows his wife and step children to shove their wants and demands down his throat while ignoring his basic needs.

I was saddened to see that his life lesson was that he is destined forever to play 5th fiddle behind his wife, his two demanding, spoiled step children and the memory of a rooster. [Re]Marriage is about commitment, respect and compromise. This family has none of that.

The most disturbing aspect of this book is that the author chose to portray his new family in the light he does. This isn't going to get better. Children raised such as the these girls are only going to grow even more entitled and demanding.

I wish the author good luck, especially when his step children actually grow up enough to read a book on their own. They are going to use this against him. In so many ways.

[Cathryn Wellner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading reviews of this book has been fascinating for me because I have a nearly finished memoir that is likely to meet with a similar variety of opinions. I read a quote years ago (the provenance lost in the messy muddle of my aging mind) that when we read a book and recognize our story within it, we have found forgiveness. So for those of you who were disappointed that Buddy was not always center stage and for those of you who trashed the author as not being fully committed to his marriage or his new family or his unexpected animal husbandry status, you need to read more closely and with more of an open heart.

This book moved me deeply. If you have never fallen head over heels in love with someone whose life and dreams are contrary to yours, lucky you. But if you have, you will recognize the constant quandary in which Brian McGrory found himself. And if you haven't, read with a more open mind and you will understand how important the scrappy rooster was to his gradual opening to a life so different than the one he envisioned for himself.

Sometimes the most important lessons of our lives come from diving head first into a life path that mystifies our friends...and ourselves. I loved this book and was sorry to come to the last page. Honestly, few male writers are willing to be as openly vulnerable and self-revealing. And few writers of any gender are willing to be as honest about their struggles in dealing with the Buddies in their lives.

So...open your mind; open the book. Close it quickly if it irritates you, but if you find yourself relating to McGrory's struggles, keep reading. You will be well rewarded.

[Deidre · Rating 4 out of 5]

By now we are well-accustomed to charming animal-centered memoirs featuring a troublesome pup or a winsome feline. The rooster, however, is an unlikely candidate for this sort of pet as life-lesson instructor story. But with the rise in urban farming perhaps more roosters will be making their way into family units. For those who might be thinking about welcoming a rooster into their brood, Buddy is both an inspiration and a cautionary tale.

Brian McGrory was a Boston-based dog owner when he fell for Pam, his dog's veterinarian. The dog, a beloved retriever named Harry, succumbed to illness but McGrory found himself a new family with Pam, her two daughters, dogs, rabbits, and Buddy, a very territorial rooster. Buddy, a pampered fluffy chick who was expected to turn into a quiet broody hen instead became a large white and red monster with an ear-piercing cry and McGrory's nemesis.

The book isn't just about the rooster, it's more about a single writer's evolution into a family man. It's a similar tale to the popular Marley & Me except in this case the protagonist has a few more miles on him. But shaggy, friendly dogs are angels compared to a rooster with a vendetta. McGrory finds himself at war with the rooster that the women in his family adore and call Boo-Boo. Eventually of course the author learns to make peace both with the rooster and with his new role as suburban stepdad in this sweet little family tale.

[Kasandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

The best part of this book is actually about the author's first dog, Harry. That part made me feel all warm and squishy inside, and then made me cry. The rest of it? Not badly written, but no amount of clever writing shores up his assertion that giving up an independent city life for the suburbs and married step-parenthood (and living with a crazy, loud rooster) was worth it. The excesses of spending on suburban kids and their parties is detailed here in all its disgusting glory. I ended this book feeling like McGrory was had. His wife sounds great, and I'm sure her kids are sweet, but this story will become quickly cloying to anyone who doesn't like or want children, who doesn't enjoy spending time around them, and who loathes the suburbs and their particular brand of hell. I'm not sure the rooster "made" McGrory a family man, so much as aging did, along with choosing a partner who already had children and pets. What choice did he have, since he loves her? The rooster was just along for the ride. And he gets his very own rooster house out of the bargain, also kind of disgusting when you think about the money spent on it. Overall, this left me with a strong sense of distaste. McGrory can certainly write, but this just wasn't my cup of tea.

[Dianne Fallon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew that I wanted to read this book as soon as I saw a brief excerpt in the Boston Globe. I went to high school with the author, Brian McGrory, who is now the editor of the Globe. Brian always had a wry understated sense of humor and was a terrific writer. I was curious to read about his adult life and his conflicts with the rooster as he adapts from man-about-town city bachelor to suburban dweller with the love-of-his life, a veterinarian, and her two animal-crazed daughters (to whom Buddy belongs).

I loved this book -- it is a fast, light read and I often found myself laughing out loud at Brian's many wry observations about suburbia vs the city, modern parenting, and the "lifestyles" of today's suburban children. The writing is honest and true and I enjoyed learning about Brian's life in the many years since I knew him at Weymouth North High School and about his perceptions of growing up in Weymouth.

In a couple of reader reviews, I have seen the author characterized as "arrogant", but I think that characterization is a huge misread. Brian writes in a very subtle self-effacing style and both pokes fun at himself and at the culture around him. Again, this book is great fun and I highly recommend it!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I must confess, my favorite sections of the book dealt with Harry the late golden retriever - Buddy the rooster, not so much.

Brian obviously loved living in the city, but moved to accomodate his new family. He seemed like he was trying to convince himself that he'd done the right thing. (I'm thinking he should have kept his condo)

The whole "American Girl" incident just made me mad - the girls want to stay home with their mother, so he had to go to the mall days after Christmas, and purchase hundreded of dollars in new toys. Then the kids say "thank you Mommy" - I don't know, maybe he wanted to portray them as spoiled brats? (earlier they don't want to go on vacation, so they all stay home) - not a flattering portrait of life in the suburbs, but probably close to real life these days - mom falling asleep tucking in the kids - hubby not noticing until the next morning...

[Jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am thoroughly surprised by the relatively high average rating that has been given to what basically amounts to a self-indulgent, narcissistic rant that uses the novel concept of a chicken pet to bait the hook. It’s pretty evident that McGrory loved his dog, and his dog loved him (and according to him, everyone else for that matter – children, other dogs, his co-workers, his dry cleaner…you get the idea); it is equally evident that he really just wanted to write about said dog and to a much greater extent, himself. It would not be hard to imagine the publisher telling him, “Look, man loves dog, dog is his rock, dog dies. We’ve read all this before. Any curve balls in there? How about a llama? Oh, a chicken! Brilliant!” By now, it is summarily evident that I could have used a little more chicken and a little less McGrory in this book (and yes, I do get the irony that this is a memoir).

[Rebecca Pierzchala · Rating 2 out of 5]

McGrory is so in love with himself, it's a wonder he got not one, but two women to marry him. While his dog Harry adored him, Buddy the rooster had the better sense to see him for who he really was. Unimpressed with this book, or at least with McGrory himself. If I could give this one and a half stars, I would.

[Michael Stockinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I enjoyed it. The author was funny and it stirred my own feelings about wanting pets throughout my life. McGrory is one hell of a smart ass with his clever and hilarious writing style. I got many a laugh out of this one.

[Michelle Boyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've never fully loved an animal (any animal) then it is going to be hard for you to understand this book, considering at its core it is indeed about how animals shape and change our lives. As an avid chicken lover (and breeder working with the American Poultry Association and American Bantam Association, alongside other breed clubs) I had to pick this book up when I saw it on a shelf at the library. How can you resist a book about a rooster (which in my profession is a cockerel if it is under a year old, and a cock once it reaches a year or older).

This autobiography begins with McGrory discussing his dog, Harry, thus leading some previous reviewers to feel a bit betrayed since they thought they were only getting a story about Buddy the Rooster. But let me assure you, it is important to understand how Harry shaped McGrory's life and changed it. Later, he will indeed compare Harry to Buddy, and for those that have lived with dogs and chickens--you'll know that his comparisons have some truth to them. The way your dog loves you and a way a chicken behaves/loves you is very different, and the same can be said for how we love them.

Buddy is a Cornish Broiler Cross (a cross of a Cornish and a Plymouth Rock that results in a fast-growing broiler breed, designed to be butchered and eaten at 6-weeks-old) that enters McGrory's life when his step-daughter brings a chick home. The chick was part of a science fair experiment and of course, the chick has to find a home somewhere. McGrory's wife, Pam, is a vet and ends up letting the family keep the bird. This is much to McGrory's distress, and he becomes even more stressed when Buddy ends up becoming a rooster that attacks him.

My two initial problems here:
1) The bird pictured on the cover is actually a white Wyandotte--a very different breed in comparison to a Cornish Broiler, just for the record.
2) I have no idea how a vet isn't able to sex a chicken. You can vent sex them when they're born. You can feel for pelvic variances (males have narrow pelvic bones because they don't need to pass an egg). Their entire facial structure is different compared to a hen. Males have pointed hackle and saddle (neck and lower back) feathers. This bird could have been easily identified long before the family did.

These small issues aside, Buddy teaches McGrory about family and love. Even though McGrory really doesn't like the rooster and would rather Buddy go to a farm, Pam and her daughters do not want to part with him.

Many other reviewers believe that McGrory is spineless and lets the women of this book walk all over him. I agree when it comes to instances where the children demand expensive toys (American Girl Dolls that they're too lazy to even go get with him at the store), or when they cut into his personal time (don't let him watch sports on the main television), etc. Yet... that is part of having a family.

The one area where I think McGrory really learns about commitment is regarding Pam and the girls' desire to keep Buddy. They do jump through hurdles and go through leaps and bend over backwards to keep Buddy with them. But through this, McGrory begins to understand that one of the reasons Buddy is so content is because he knows his place in the family. And through this, he helps McGrory understand his place in the world and in his new family.

There are some very sad moments here--if you've ever lost any pet, you know that their deaths can really mess you up. At the same time, you also know that for all the time they're with us, they change our lives. They make our lives worth living.

Overall, I really enjoyed this piece. It isn't a 'perfect' memoir and it certainly isn't all about the rooster--be prepared to learn about McGrory. Yet I wasn't disappointed because in the end, Buddy did his job.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many other reviewers loved the start of the book about Harry, didn’t love the MC and found the whole story not relatable/realistic.
I found it all to be the opposite.

While Harry is a key part leading to the events, it felt like too much time was spent developing that story. It came across more like a memorial than a fitting part to the story of Buddy and one of the biggest reasons I dropped rating. (RIP Harry)

The MC may not be the “most likable” human, fairly, but he’s not a bad guy and I really found myself rooting for his growth and adapting to changes for the woman he loves. Just because his values and lifestyle don’t align with others doesn’t make him unlikable. Really, he had a great thing going and I’d be enviable to live life to those standards! Having a family and settling down doesn’t have to be your life’s aspiration just as liking nice things and a little elevated status doesn’t make you a bad person.

Finally, Buddy. As a fellow veterinarian that has pet/house roosters and chickens, Buddy felt like a memory of a past member of my own family. It’s great to see a book highlight what I’ll call a “non-traditional” pet as a significant family member and represent the joys (and less joyful quirks) of keeping them as pets. A wonderful recount of a very special rooster.

A great little book with a lot of lessons ripe for the picking if you aren’t looking for a Hallmark movie or a “Soup-for-the-Soul” generic family tale.

[Andrea A Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

reluctant poultry parent

Man joins family with a veritable menagerie of household animals. The egg hatches and becomes…a rooster.
Written as a memoir, by a professional writer, this was an easy read about relationships and personal growth without the necessary drama of a novel. Different than other man-and-dog books (Marley and me, The Art of Racing in the Rain) because the writer had to learn to appreciate the fowl creature who didn’t immediately show the immediate adoration to him that his dogs had.
Having had a fluffy yellow chick grow into a rooster, and lost a dog I loved, I could picture his situation perfectly.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

An engaging tale of a blended family ruled by a cantankerous rooster. Although Brian can be a bit self-involved, I am very interested in knowing how things turned out. Is the family still together? So many questions!

[Meredith · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like a 3.5.

[Valerie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was unable to finish this book. I wanted a funny story of a man trying to make peace with a rooster, and instead I found myself irritatated by all characters in the story.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, this book had some serious disconnects, which had me going, WHATTTTT? I have had chickens, hens and roosters. The ignorance of these people, especially a veterinarian, was just toooo tooo much! Skip to paragraph 4 to get right to my rooster gripes!!

But I'll go back to why I read it. I have chickens, as I said, and anything about a chicken catches my eye. I was looking for something to read on Kindle. I honestly thought it would probably be silly, and I would dump it after a few chapters. But it wasn't! It was well-written! I have never heard of Brian McGrory, but I live in Maine, and I liked the Maine references he made. I don't read the Boston Globe, but I'm impressed that he is now the editor. I thought it was thoughtful, interesting, and honest. I liked reading about his life before Buddy. I'm not a dog person, but I can appreciate how he felt about Harry and I was happy for him. (although I fail to see how a dog that goes outside in all weathers could possibly exist in his pristine apartment!)

I liked Brian, he was sort of cute, while revealing all his thoughts, but I kept thinking---this is real, right? Pam and his step-daughters are going to read this one day, right? That means he has to modify it, KNOWING that Pam will read it! It's like the journal of my trip to England with my mother---as I wrote, I KNEW one day she'd read it, and that I had to leave all the irritation and anger I felt at her OUT of the story! (and she did read it, and she asked me, did you leave all the bad parts out?). So, here's my feeling. He's a teensy bit of a whiner, used to having everything his way, having to "put up" with the kids and family situation to get Pam---but still, I thought, I liked him. He was being honest--he couldn't say all this to Pam, especially not at the time, it might have been a big blow up, she might have changed her mind about marrying him---but this way, he gets to tell his story and she will read it LATER and find out how he felt and all the hurt feelings he had (sob) and all the sacrifices he was making FOR THEM, mind you.....A lot of reviewers called Pam manipulative, but I see a little bit of it here with Brian. It would be good of him if he had a change of heart and forbid them to read the book and see what he went thru! His tale of woe. I, personally, didn't see a lot of upsides to this union, I, too, looked back regretfully at his Boston apartment!! So I could feel it! I'd get a Boston condo, a lovely Siamese cat, and walls and walls of books.

Anyway, back to roosters. Even if you don't/can't do a vent check to find out the sex, by 4 months we could tell that one of the chicks we purchased was a rooster. He had all the characteristics. Then he started crowing at 5 months. I have never had a broiler chicken, so I'm not sure how they grow and develop, but they grow FAST, that's the point of them, so if anything, the rooster characteristics would be apparent sooner. But so be it. They were fixated on hen, and just didn't think.

But then----you know what??? Roosters have SPURS! They fight with SPURS! That's what Cockfights are all about! Not once in this entire book were spurs mentioned!! How could that be?? Brian mentioned the rooster "pecking" (roosters do not peck when they fight seriously) and flying up or flapping---yeah, because that's what they do to spur you---they fly up, bring their legs forward so the spurs come to bear and quick as a flash, they gash you! I know, I still have the scars on my legs two years later! Roosters have spurs on their legs! In the picture on the cover, you can just see the beginning of one spur on one leg, they point downward. And broilers have them, too, Google informs me. All the references say, "spurs grow longer and sharper with age". They are like daggers! You CAN cut the tips off, to blunt them, but in our case, it didn't help much. So the man in the story who had his leg ripped open was SPURRED, not PECKED, that is just so ridiculous! (Brian, I hope you or Pam is reading this.) Speaking of Pam, the Vet, how could she not know or notice those spurs? Then, I thought, maybe they purposely left them out of the book, because people might think they were bad parents to keep a dangerous animal around children. I mean, really, Buddy COULD have hurt them, and he is an unpredictable animal.

Secondly, they put the rooster on a SHELF? With soft blankets? And on the floor with soft blankets? First of all, I'd hate to see the blankets after just one night, they poop all night. Second, chickens PERCH at night, they don't sit on shelves!! What on earth were they thinking?? Anybody else out there agree with me? Chickens like to be off the ground on a perch at night. During the day, especially if it's hot, they will sit on the cooler ground, or in a dirt bath on the ground, but at night, no matter what the weather, they want to PERCH. On a rod or pole. I mean, Pam is a vet! Maybe not a chicken vet, but she could have read up on it! And bringing an animal inside to warmth after being out in the cold all day? Not good. The obvious answer, if no farms would take him, would be for PAM to get some hens! They could help keep the coop warm in winter, and by golly, they would keep him company when his people were away and divert his attention! He could boss them around, mate with them, and protect them (from Brian!). I'm not saying he wouldn't still attack Brian, he probably would, maybe even more.

We had hens when I was growing up, and we had Bantam roosters. They were feisty, but never got aggressive, maybe because we could just give them the boot (literally) if they got obstreperous. I was never afraid of them. We had a bunch. But recently as an adult, we got 7 grown hens and a rooster from a neighbor and at first the rooster was fine, but one day out of the blue, he attacked me from behind, spurring my leg, and I was shocked! (Yes, they are sneaky and absolutely will stealth attack!) After that, I could not convince him I was his friend, that we were on the same side. I tried the Domination exercises, no good. I tried feeding him out of my hand and picking him up. I tried trimming his spurs. Sometimes he would subside for a while, but I could never trust him, he'd start up again. I even tried fighting him, thrust for thrust, but that was no good. (roosters lust for a good fight!) Finally my husband had enough of me being attacked if I wasn't carrying a shovel or a rake into the yard and he lost his head.

Then later we got 14 new chicks, and one turned out to be a rooster. We thought it would be different with him, but by 6 months he was attacking both of us. He went, too. Now the hens have no protector and I'm sorry for it. Roosters really do a good and selfless job, even calling the hens when they find a goodie and not eating it themselves. They will die for those hens.

One other quibble: has Pam ever heard of "chicken feed"? You know, that stuff that's nutritionally formulated just for chickens? Buy 40 lbs of it for $20? They gave Buddy sliced chicken nuggets (??), shredded cheese (??) cracked corn (which makes them hot and shouldn't be given in the summer) and what was the other thing....? Oatmeal? Yeah, that's all right. But birthday cake with frosting?? Are they crazy?? Chickens ARE omnivores, but that doesn't mean everything is good for them....I would say these people shouldn't be allowed to keep a chicken, as ignorant as they were, but you would have thought a vet would know better. That lady that came around checking should have asked what they fed him--and where his perch was.

I wondered at Brian's description of Buddy's legs as being "rubbery". What on earth does he mean? Chicken legs are like steel rebar......I have never known a chicken to have soft or bendable legs, certainly not rubbery....?? But, yes, they do strut!! And do that little side-step dance, but that's usually courtship behaviour for the hens.

Ultimately, I did not see any sign of how Buddy made Brian a family man, and in the end, Brian got what he wanted-- Buddy just up and died at 3 years old! . So this book was a disconnect with the title. Not seeing it. Brian put up with Buddy, true, he did not take an ax to him at night or drive him to a lonely place and leave him, but he was wishing for it the whole time! I didn't see any lessons. I was hoping that Pam would at LAST be reasonable and kind to her husband and get rid of the thing. Girls be damned. Get Abigail another cat.

The American Doll episode was horrendous, (but Brian was milking it!---also he should have said NO) but I was touched that he tried so hard to win them over and kept trying. I could see them later as grown girls, all affectionate with Brian, like some of the girls I know with stepdads, who love them as their own.

One last thing: This is not a quibble with the book, but a question of my own. This whole lengthy ritual of "tucking in". I didn't have that. Not that my parents were uncaring or anything. Maybe she did it in my non-remembering days. Dad wasn't part of it in the early 60s, that was a Mom thing. But from the time I can remember, about 4 years of age, she took us upstairs, helped us get in our nightgowns and brush our teeth and then, into bed! Lights out! Done! It helped that my sister was just a year younger and we shared a room and could whisper and giggle if we wanted to (or worse). But still. On the other hand, my mother didn't work. So we saw her all day long. IS that the difference? Do working mothers feel an obligation to do the Tucking-In thing because they work?

Anyway, if you don't mind incredible ignorance about chickens or don't know any better (you do now!) you might like this book! I found the writing good and engaging, and I read the whole thing,and I had to Keep reading to find out what happened. So I gave it 4 stars for good writing and subtracted one star for being such idiots about chickens. I WOULD (I wish I could use italics, but I can't see how in this little box) like to know how this marriage turned out!

[Emily Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something keeps drawing me to these inspiring animal books. Perhaps it's my love of animals. Perhaps I've just been sucked into the trend. I've had hits-and-misses with them that's made me question my tendency to read them, but somehow those hits keep me reading. I consider "Buddy" to be one of the hits.

So many other examples of the genre are cozy heartfelt reads of that undeniable bond between Person and Beloved Animal. This one most refreshingly is not, so do not expect to be wrapped up in that timeless story of a boy and his rooster. This is an animal book, but it's about how a man must deal with a rooster he can barely tolerate as he navigates the road from bachelor to husband and father.

The delightful juxtaposition is that the book does include a touching animal story. McGrory speaks of his beloved dog, who's death from cancer leads McGrory to dating the vet Pam, to becoming engaged to her and joining her family of herself, two young daughters, and a menagerie of animals. A short marriage that ended in divorce had done next to nothing to set up McGrory for family life. A faithful dog was his companion through singlehood, and that dog's death was a beginning to a new way of life for McGrory.

My favorite aspect of the book is just how funny McGrory is. He doesn't go for easy gags, but instead writes in a relaxed and wry tone that always kept me with a smile on my face. His storytelling is subtle, with no preachy tendencies to announce the big changes in his life and his passage from bachelor to family man. The book is not one solid plot, but rather a collection of vignettes smoothed together to make a story. This is an energizing and truly funny read that still manages to cut down to the hardships and challenges of McGrory's new life.

I don't know if this will ever make a best-seller list or capture mass attention, but it's one of the best animal stories I've read in some time.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to on CD.

What a wonderful book! Really enjoyed reading and could Identify with so much! Particularly the chapters on the closeness a guy can have with his dog and what it really means. Highly recommended!

[Mary BookHounds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't let the cover fool you. This is a memoir with a dog book. Well, ok, there IS a rooster involved but the author makes it clear right from the start that no rooster is going to come between him and his dog. Then he cute-meets a woman, who just happens to be his vet. Again, he has sworn off women since he has just come off a divorce and loves his single life with his dog. She has just gone through a divorce and when she spies him being especially gentle with his dog, her heart is forever his. There you go: that is the whole plot of what should be a romantic memoir, except that there is a rooster involved. Of course, nothing ever goes right when there is a rooster involved.

As the author becomes more involved with his vet and her two daughters, he finds that THIS is what life is all about. Well, everything WOULD be great, except for the rooster that was supposed to be a hen. The two girls hatch an egg as part of a school project and they become extremely attached to this creature, baby talking, coddling and all. So as he becomes closer to this family unit, he learns that the chick is in all reality a rooster. A rooster now named Buddy, that is very protective of his girls. I have never laughed so much as when the author discovered that roosters can live for 15 years or so.

As the family gets married and moves into a new home together, they make space for the rooster which truly rules the roost by giving him his own coop but the darn thing still comes in the house. McGrory is forced to make peace with Buddy or have pieces of him removed, peck by peck, as the two fight for dominance. This book should appeal to fans of animal-filled memoirs like Dewey and Marley and Me. McGrory knows how to capture your attention with his wit and you can feel the love he has for his animals.

[Jami · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a unique take on the animal genre stories, and i loved it. It had a little bit of everything; a great story of the author's relationship with his dog, humor, sadness, an interesting life change, a menagerie of animals, and of course, Buddy! The images of Buddy in "his" shelf, or in "his" house are great. i love the way he has to make sure that his flock (Pam and the kids) are okay while protecting them against intruders - including fellow housemate, the author! I never thought about a chicken as a pet, but the images of Buddy walking up stairs on his rubbery legs, watching television with the kids, "high-stepping," pecking bugs on the lawn and pecking at his birthday cake were priceless. I loved the description of his emotions, ranging from embarassment at pecking at one of the kids and hanging his head, staring at the floor, to pure joy when he first pecked at his piece of his own birthday cake.

The book discusses the author's issues with leaving Boston city life where he lived with his dog to suburbia, where he had to drive to any place he wanted to go, with a new wife, her kids and more animals. He is honest in his assessment of himself and fears about this change. The conflicts about the animals remind me of my life; like Pam, I think there's always room for one more animals. Like the author, my other half takes the opposite view, yet when the animals arrive, he is an old softie with them. Also like this story, the woman always prevails and the animals become part of the household.

There were many parts that I laughed out loud, and yes, some where I needed a tissue. I just loved this book and recommend that you take a chance on it and read it!