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People Who Like Dogs Like People Who Like Dogs: Extraordinary Encounters in an Ordinary Park
Ostensibly, Nick Duerden is a cat person, so the acquisition of a family dog in his late forties takes him by surprise. The border terrier, Missy, is in part a therapeutic aid, the idea being that she will get Nick out of the house after a long period of ill health and back into the wider, sociable world.
Unexpectedly, it works. There cannot be many opportunities in midlife to suddenly find yourself connecting with both hopeful young actor types and widowed octogenarians, a verbose existentialist Russian dissident and a stoned martial arts enthusiast, a bulldog with a basketball and a self-proclaimed animal mystic, but this is what Missy, and the daily walk around the park, provides. (Incidentally, she saves marriages, too.)
People Who Like Dogs Like People Who Like Dogs is about connection and friendship, love and loss, the vagaries of midlife and the deep solace that comes from an enduring relationship. It is about finding yourself when for too long you have been lost, and how even when horizons draw in, plenty of adventure still awaits.
Unexpectedly, it works. There cannot be many opportunities in midlife to suddenly find yourself connecting with both hopeful young actor types and widowed octogenarians, a verbose existentialist Russian dissident and a stoned martial arts enthusiast, a bulldog with a basketball and a self-proclaimed animal mystic, but this is what Missy, and the daily walk around the park, provides. (Incidentally, she saves marriages, too.)
People Who Like Dogs Like People Who Like Dogs is about connection and friendship, love and loss, the vagaries of midlife and the deep solace that comes from an enduring relationship. It is about finding yourself when for too long you have been lost, and how even when horizons draw in, plenty of adventure still awaits.
- GenresNonfictionAnimals
214 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 22, 2024
13 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 18, 2025
What a delightful book!
From the very first page, I felt as though I was walking through that London park right alongside Nick Duerden. Dog on a leash, eyes open for unexpected encounters and stories.
His writing style is smooth, light-hearted, and yet surprisingly profound. It reads effortlessly, but along the way, he manages to move you, make you laugh, and give you something to think about.
As a dog lover, I recognized so many of the little moments—the casual chats, the familiar faces on daily walks, the quiet sense of unity shared among dog people. It’s exactly that sense of community that Nick Duerden captures so well.
The characters are colorful, endearing, and at times eccentric—just like in real life. And Missy, his border terrier, is absolutely the heroine of this story, if you ask me. You can feel the love for her on every page.
What struck me most was how much depth the book offers in so few pages. Themes like loss, loneliness, midlife doubts, but also hope, humor, and solidarity are all woven into the story. Without becoming too heavy, Nick manages to say some truly meaningful things about life—often between the lines.
And then, out of the blue, there’s a twist involving the character Lintang. It’s a serious moment that adds an extra layer to the story and brings the group of dog walkers together in a way that really stays with you.
For me, this book felt like a warm bath. Funny, touching, relatable, and full of hope.
It’s definitely one of my favorites of the year—and, in my opinion, an absolute must-read for anyone who loves dogs or simply a good story about real people.
From the very first page, I felt as though I was walking through that London park right alongside Nick Duerden. Dog on a leash, eyes open for unexpected encounters and stories.
His writing style is smooth, light-hearted, and yet surprisingly profound. It reads effortlessly, but along the way, he manages to move you, make you laugh, and give you something to think about.
As a dog lover, I recognized so many of the little moments—the casual chats, the familiar faces on daily walks, the quiet sense of unity shared among dog people. It’s exactly that sense of community that Nick Duerden captures so well.
The characters are colorful, endearing, and at times eccentric—just like in real life. And Missy, his border terrier, is absolutely the heroine of this story, if you ask me. You can feel the love for her on every page.
What struck me most was how much depth the book offers in so few pages. Themes like loss, loneliness, midlife doubts, but also hope, humor, and solidarity are all woven into the story. Without becoming too heavy, Nick manages to say some truly meaningful things about life—often between the lines.
And then, out of the blue, there’s a twist involving the character Lintang. It’s a serious moment that adds an extra layer to the story and brings the group of dog walkers together in a way that really stays with you.
For me, this book felt like a warm bath. Funny, touching, relatable, and full of hope.
It’s definitely one of my favorites of the year—and, in my opinion, an absolute must-read for anyone who loves dogs or simply a good story about real people.
December 11, 2025
Muž si koupi psa, aby mu pomohl při zotavení z nespecifikované nemoci tím, že spolu budou chodit na procházky. V parku potkává různé lidi a vypráví jejich příběhy, což by bylo moc fajn, kdyby to nebylo tak pitomě napsaný.
September 25, 2024
An entertaining, heart-warming story (with a twist) about people who own dogs. A really engaging, easy to read, page-turner of a book.
September 4, 2025
Lovely read. A short book. Heartwarming, funny and poignant. As if you couldn't love dogs even more!
October 24, 2025
Honestly thought this one was okay but also pretty boring outside of one or two chapters. Also in one chapter the author starts to vent about his love life and I just don't caaareee. I'm here to read about dogs & dog people, not the author's relationship issues.
December 14, 2024
Not my usual genre, but a very heartwarming account of dog ownership.
December 10, 2025
Nick je po nemoci těla a prožívá i bolesti ducha a tak se rozhodne po letech s kočkama si pořídit taky jednou psa, aby ho donutil každý den vyjít ven a hýbat se. Začne tak chodit do blízkého parku se svou Missy a tam se oba společně začleňují do komunity ostatních majitelů psů. Poznává tak jiný život a jiné lidi, než se kterými by se mohl poznat v ve svém dosavadním běžném životě. Otevírá se mu tak úplně nový, jiný svět pejskařů, jejich problémů a radostí.
Velmi milá knížka. Nemá úplně děj, spíš jsou to takové jednotlivé epizody, které provazuje postava autora a jeho psa. Vypráví osudy ostatních pejskařů, a jejich životů, ale spíš jen v kontextu parku a života kolem něj. Jen jedna příhoda zde naruší poklid a donutí pejskaře zapojit se do situace, která nesouvisí jen s parkem. To je takový zajímavý zlom, která dá této jinak velmi klidné knížce prvek dramatičnosti.
Knížka je taky hodně autobiografická, autor se zde zabývá i sám sebou, manželstvím, chorobou, dětmi, vývojem v jeho životě. Zamýšlí se tak nad různými aspekty svého života, ale takovým milým a nenásilným způsobem.
Velmi hezká a příjemná je i obálka knížky, každá kapitola pak začíná jedním výsekem obrázku z obálky a postupně se i s postavami na obrázcích seznamujeme.
Knížka se četla velmi dobře, text tak plynul, občas vás nutil se zamyslet, občas pousmát, občas si spojit to, co čtete se svými zkušenostmi nebo zážitky. Nejdůležitější pro mě je myšlenka, že vztahy je nutné budovat, někdy na vás čekají na nečekaných místech, ale je nutné i opečovávat ty, co máme a nehonit se jen za vším, ale někdy vzít jen psa a jít courat do parku. A nemáte psa? Tak si ho pořiďte, protože vám dle knihy otevře spoustu nových a nečekaných obzorů a možností.
Knihu určitě doporučuji jako milou, ale chytrou oddechovku. Moc ráda jsem si jí přečetla.
Děkuji za zaslání knihy na recenzi nakladatelství JOTA
Velmi milá knížka. Nemá úplně děj, spíš jsou to takové jednotlivé epizody, které provazuje postava autora a jeho psa. Vypráví osudy ostatních pejskařů, a jejich životů, ale spíš jen v kontextu parku a života kolem něj. Jen jedna příhoda zde naruší poklid a donutí pejskaře zapojit se do situace, která nesouvisí jen s parkem. To je takový zajímavý zlom, která dá této jinak velmi klidné knížce prvek dramatičnosti.
Knížka je taky hodně autobiografická, autor se zde zabývá i sám sebou, manželstvím, chorobou, dětmi, vývojem v jeho životě. Zamýšlí se tak nad různými aspekty svého života, ale takovým milým a nenásilným způsobem.
Velmi hezká a příjemná je i obálka knížky, každá kapitola pak začíná jedním výsekem obrázku z obálky a postupně se i s postavami na obrázcích seznamujeme.
Knížka se četla velmi dobře, text tak plynul, občas vás nutil se zamyslet, občas pousmát, občas si spojit to, co čtete se svými zkušenostmi nebo zážitky. Nejdůležitější pro mě je myšlenka, že vztahy je nutné budovat, někdy na vás čekají na nečekaných místech, ale je nutné i opečovávat ty, co máme a nehonit se jen za vším, ale někdy vzít jen psa a jít courat do parku. A nemáte psa? Tak si ho pořiďte, protože vám dle knihy otevře spoustu nových a nečekaných obzorů a možností.
Knihu určitě doporučuji jako milou, ale chytrou oddechovku. Moc ráda jsem si jí přečetla.
Děkuji za zaslání knihy na recenzi nakladatelství JOTA
February 20, 2025
This was one of those books I couldn't put down. A memoir about a community of dog walkers in a park, and I thoroughly enjoyed the way we got to know the individual characters and their canine counterparts. Plus they have an adventure, one which I found both plausible and exciting. Duerden creates a strong picture of the sort of relationships that these dog walkers have. Intimate sometimes, boring sometimes, and often full of concern for one another. They frequently see one another every day - yet their relationships are limited to the parameters of the park.
I also thoroughly enjoyed Duerden's description of the various dogs, especially his own, Missy - a feisty Border Terrier - whom he is obviously besotted. Yet he often describes her quirky antics with a cool eye, which is unusual when considering the impassioned glue that usually holds people and their dogs together. Perhaps because until Missy came along he says he has always been a cat person. For whatever reason, it gives him a bit of distance which makes his writing that much more interesting.
Over and above these people and their dogs, the book also has an ace adventure as part of the story. For me it really added spice to the book. The book is full of emotions and small, everyday, but extraordinary scenarios. Life in the park has successes, failures, occasional dog fights and loss. I thought it was a fabulous read. My only complaint is that in spite of Missy clearly being a Border Terrier, the dog on the front of the book looks like a large-eyed labradoodle. Good eye-candy but bad marketing.
I also thoroughly enjoyed Duerden's description of the various dogs, especially his own, Missy - a feisty Border Terrier - whom he is obviously besotted. Yet he often describes her quirky antics with a cool eye, which is unusual when considering the impassioned glue that usually holds people and their dogs together. Perhaps because until Missy came along he says he has always been a cat person. For whatever reason, it gives him a bit of distance which makes his writing that much more interesting.
Over and above these people and their dogs, the book also has an ace adventure as part of the story. For me it really added spice to the book. The book is full of emotions and small, everyday, but extraordinary scenarios. Life in the park has successes, failures, occasional dog fights and loss. I thought it was a fabulous read. My only complaint is that in spite of Missy clearly being a Border Terrier, the dog on the front of the book looks like a large-eyed labradoodle. Good eye-candy but bad marketing.
February 7, 2025
A rather nice meditation on the joys of dog ownership and the camaraderie of dog owners, which washes over you like a warm bath.
Two caveats - the plot about rescuing Lintang felt rather jammed it, as if some editor had insisted that he included some excitement (apologies to Duerden if it's a true story).
And this is a book that it going to be largely read by people who like and know about dogs. Duerden's dog is a Border terrier - perhaps not the most photogenic breed, but why does this edition feature a completely different dog on the cover?
Two caveats - the plot about rescuing Lintang felt rather jammed it, as if some editor had insisted that he included some excitement (apologies to Duerden if it's a true story).
And this is a book that it going to be largely read by people who like and know about dogs. Duerden's dog is a Border terrier - perhaps not the most photogenic breed, but why does this edition feature a completely different dog on the cover?
December 31, 2024
I enjoyed it, could relate to it in many ways. Very easy read.
November 24, 2025
Gezellig boek, easy read.
July 29, 2025
Lovely chatty book about people who-surprise!- love dogs. Mr Duerden visits the dog park a lot and he gets to know his fellows. He does a good job of describing the people, dogs and events there. It was pleasurable for me to relax into this read. Sometimes I dont want drama or tragedy or learning. Just amusement.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews