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The Dog Boy
KIRKUS REVIEWS: "Anenberg beautifully and convincingly portrays the contradictions of American society during the period, and he ably juxtaposes Eaton’s mission to save her son with stories of the past—showing a world which, despite many technological advances, has made few discernible social advances...An engaging tale of a mother’s and son’s struggles in 1940s America."
In the same way that THE HELP focused on the exploitation and humiliation of black housemaids in the ‘50s, Noel Anenberg’s riveting first novel, THE DOG BOY, based on his own life experiences, focuses on the strength of a black family maid who struggles valiantly to right the wrongs in a highly dysfunctional family post WW II. Phosie Mae Eaton has left Galveston, Texas, to visit her wounded son in a segregated military hospital in Los Angeles. She is stunned to discover her son, a Marine hero, has been denied penicillin because no “colored” needles are available for the black patients. In order to get money to provide for his medical care, Phosie takes a job in the home of Lucile Goldberg, a narcissistic divorcee who ignores her five year old son to focus entirely on landing another rich husband, while her deadbeat brother lives off whatever is left of the household income. Mrs. Goldberg has put her son in a cage because the boy constantly mimics the little dog his estranged father gave him and his mother disposed of on a distant street corner. The animal is the only real love the young toddler has experienced in his short life. THE DOG BOY is a powerful tale of love, hate and salvation through the loving heart of a maid who must take control.
In the same way that THE HELP focused on the exploitation and humiliation of black housemaids in the ‘50s, Noel Anenberg’s riveting first novel, THE DOG BOY, based on his own life experiences, focuses on the strength of a black family maid who struggles valiantly to right the wrongs in a highly dysfunctional family post WW II. Phosie Mae Eaton has left Galveston, Texas, to visit her wounded son in a segregated military hospital in Los Angeles. She is stunned to discover her son, a Marine hero, has been denied penicillin because no “colored” needles are available for the black patients. In order to get money to provide for his medical care, Phosie takes a job in the home of Lucile Goldberg, a narcissistic divorcee who ignores her five year old son to focus entirely on landing another rich husband, while her deadbeat brother lives off whatever is left of the household income. Mrs. Goldberg has put her son in a cage because the boy constantly mimics the little dog his estranged father gave him and his mother disposed of on a distant street corner. The animal is the only real love the young toddler has experienced in his short life. THE DOG BOY is a powerful tale of love, hate and salvation through the loving heart of a maid who must take control.
290 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 2014
8 people are currently reading
1240 people want to read
About the author
Noel Anenberg
3 books18 followersNoel Anenberg is a contributor to The Wall Street Journal and The Los Angeles Times. A graduate of the University of California Professional Writing Program, he teaches the craft of fiction writing at Pierce College Los Angeles and conducts a seminar for novelists. Formerly Mr. Anenberg was an adjunct professor of English with the United States Navy's College at Sea Program aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt CVN 71, on the Gulf of Arabia. Anenberg, a grandfather, surfer, and skier, lives with his wife and their Golden Retriever , Walter, in the Santa Monica Mountains.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 19, 2014
**WARNING: May Contain some spoilers*****
I really had high hopes for this book, as I am always interested in historical perspectives that were NOT taught in even the Honors, A-P, or College American History classes I had access to growing up. I did not realize until I received the book that the author was a white guy. This raised my level of skepticism, but as I try to give folks the benefit of the doubt, I read on.
Mr. Anenberg wrote in his "ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS" that "The Montford Point Marines, American-black men who volunteered to fight for their nation's freedom during World War II when they were not yet free have been most gracious and generous in sitting for oral histories and providing research materials that have informed my work and my person." This restored my faith that the author had put the time in to do his subjects proud.
Sadly, as my original gut-feeling predicted, this tale unraveled for me mighty quick, and became increasingly painful to read. However, like watching a car-crash or a house-fire, I could not look away, either. I kept hoping for improvement, but just grew more perplexed and frustrated with each passing page.
Firstly, the dialect in the dialogue got OLD quite quickly for me. I saw the purpose when Phosie Mae specified, "I was talking in the submissive tone of a house Negro. I hated playing that role." However, the REST of the time there was a complete DISCONNECT between the dialect inside Phosie Mae's MIND, and the ludicrous,inferior slang the author kept pouring from her mouth! It seemed quite demeaning and disrespectful to me.
Secondly, the title of the book seemed to me to certainly refer to the injured soldier, Will. After reading the memory his fellow Marine shared about "A Japanese Spy Dog" in the third chapter of the same name, I assumed as much. I couldn't understand why "The Dog Boy" hadn't become WILL'S nickname, as it just seemed quite natural. No, "the Dog Boy" TITLE has NOTHING to do with any MAIN character at all, but in fact is bestowed to the son of Will's Mama's new boss.... yes,the very TITLE which could've and SHOULD'VE been used as a means to honor Will's bravery in combat is instead granted based on the immature behavior of the white son of Phosie Mae's employer.
OK, but then THIS "Dog Boy" should have some amazing and incredible role to play in this tale, right? Errr,well, No, not so much...true, his barking like a dog draws attention to the fact he is struggling with his family situation. However, instead of any gradual improvement once Phosie Mae is a stable role-model in his life, he just magically starts talking again! Yes, just by allowing the boy to adopt a stray REAL dog, AND having his Father return home, little Billy was all better! Oh, but the stray dog is deemed a "sign" from her son by Phosie Mae, so THAT makes it ALL spiritually worthwhile and cosmically significant.... nope, no way, this is bullocks.
The rest of the book was downhill for me. It seemed the author needed to ineffectively tackle another social stigma. inter-racial marriage. Yet, this isn't even a match of equals but of a damaged Veteran for Phosie Mae to care for. Perhaps as somewhat of a surrogate for her own son? No, at this point I cannot recommend this work of "Historical Fiction" as a source of anything but further propagation of negative stereotypes, of ALL shades of the skin-tone spectrum.
(I received this book for free through the GoodReads First Reads Giveaways = thank you! ;)
I really had high hopes for this book, as I am always interested in historical perspectives that were NOT taught in even the Honors, A-P, or College American History classes I had access to growing up. I did not realize until I received the book that the author was a white guy. This raised my level of skepticism, but as I try to give folks the benefit of the doubt, I read on.
Mr. Anenberg wrote in his "ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS" that "The Montford Point Marines, American-black men who volunteered to fight for their nation's freedom during World War II when they were not yet free have been most gracious and generous in sitting for oral histories and providing research materials that have informed my work and my person." This restored my faith that the author had put the time in to do his subjects proud.
Sadly, as my original gut-feeling predicted, this tale unraveled for me mighty quick, and became increasingly painful to read. However, like watching a car-crash or a house-fire, I could not look away, either. I kept hoping for improvement, but just grew more perplexed and frustrated with each passing page.
Firstly, the dialect in the dialogue got OLD quite quickly for me. I saw the purpose when Phosie Mae specified, "I was talking in the submissive tone of a house Negro. I hated playing that role." However, the REST of the time there was a complete DISCONNECT between the dialect inside Phosie Mae's MIND, and the ludicrous,inferior slang the author kept pouring from her mouth! It seemed quite demeaning and disrespectful to me.
Secondly, the title of the book seemed to me to certainly refer to the injured soldier, Will. After reading the memory his fellow Marine shared about "A Japanese Spy Dog" in the third chapter of the same name, I assumed as much. I couldn't understand why "The Dog Boy" hadn't become WILL'S nickname, as it just seemed quite natural. No, "the Dog Boy" TITLE has NOTHING to do with any MAIN character at all, but in fact is bestowed to the son of Will's Mama's new boss.... yes,the very TITLE which could've and SHOULD'VE been used as a means to honor Will's bravery in combat is instead granted based on the immature behavior of the white son of Phosie Mae's employer.
OK, but then THIS "Dog Boy" should have some amazing and incredible role to play in this tale, right? Errr,well, No, not so much...true, his barking like a dog draws attention to the fact he is struggling with his family situation. However, instead of any gradual improvement once Phosie Mae is a stable role-model in his life, he just magically starts talking again! Yes, just by allowing the boy to adopt a stray REAL dog, AND having his Father return home, little Billy was all better! Oh, but the stray dog is deemed a "sign" from her son by Phosie Mae, so THAT makes it ALL spiritually worthwhile and cosmically significant.... nope, no way, this is bullocks.
The rest of the book was downhill for me. It seemed the author needed to ineffectively tackle another social stigma. inter-racial marriage. Yet, this isn't even a match of equals but of a damaged Veteran for Phosie Mae to care for. Perhaps as somewhat of a surrogate for her own son? No, at this point I cannot recommend this work of "Historical Fiction" as a source of anything but further propagation of negative stereotypes, of ALL shades of the skin-tone spectrum.
(I received this book for free through the GoodReads First Reads Giveaways = thank you! ;)
April 10, 2015
*received for free through Goodreads First Reads
Not a genre that I particularly enjoy, further compounded by weak insight of the author and jarring dialogue. I was not drawn in and felt nothing for the characters.
Not a genre that I particularly enjoy, further compounded by weak insight of the author and jarring dialogue. I was not drawn in and felt nothing for the characters.
May 29, 2014
I read this book in a day, and so I cannot claim that it doesn’t draw the reader in or hold his or her attention. But is it a good book? I don’t think so. Perhaps with a better editor or a more sensitive author, it could have been a solid work of fiction, but as it stands, it falls short in a number of ways.
To begin with we have a main character who thinks eloquently in what is largely standard English but who speaks in a dialect that is closer to early-modern Amos-’n-Andy. (Please note that the black actors playing the parts in the 50s television series were told to imitate the voice and language of the two white vaudevillians who had played the parts in the original series on radio — which means that what I call “Amos-’n-Andy” dialect is black actors attempting to recreate white actors pretending to be black people. Only in this case, it’s worse. We have a white author attempting to recreate black actors attempting to sound like white — oh, forget it. You know what I mean. It’s damned derivative.) It’s not just that the author has gotten carried away with trying to capture the sound of how Black-Americans may (or may not) have spoken sixty years ago. It’s worse than that. When the main character’s son wants to say the word “hear,” the author has rendered it as “here,” which is a real puzzler for me. The words “hear” and “here” are homonyms. They sound identical. So, what is the author trying to tell us about this character by having him say “here” when he means “hear”? To me, it can only be interpreted as either an extremely unfortunate typo or as a way of suggesting that these people are too dumb to know the difference, even when they are using words that sound identical.
I should also note that the book’s dialect was a major factor in making it very hard for me to completely suspend my disbelief.
But it wasn’t just the dialect. The words that come out of the black characters’ mouths tend to be heavy on both clichés and simplistic moralizing. This adds to the feeling that the author doesn’t think that they are all that bright.
But let’s set the dialect aside to move onto other aspects of the book. The first three-quarters of the novel is centered around the efforts by the mother of a young African-American Marine, wounded on Iwo Jima, to get the “colored needles” required to administer life-saving treatments of penicillin. So here we have a grave injustice and a life-or-death race to get these needles in time to save the young man. Those are a couple of great pivots on which to have a plot to turn.
*** Spoiler alerts follow. Please do not read on unless you want to have the plot ruined for you. ***
So why does the author, around chapter 19, throw out the penicillin needle plot and have the young man die of a condition that his doctors explicitly and repeatedly state has nothing to do with his getting penicillin injections?
And what’s worse, why does the author have this heroic young man then die from complications of what is stated, very explicitly, to be a result of infection with the Hepatitis C virus? The young man must have excellent doctors. Given that the term “Hepatitis C” wasn’t coined until the 1980s, they must have been very good, indeed, excellent time-traveling doctors.
I know that many people aren’t as conversant with medical history as I am, but it’s never a good idea to state that a character dies of a specific ailment unless you know enough about it not to make a complete fool out of yourself.
When I ran into Hepatitis C in Chapter 19, this destroyed whatever “suspension of disbelief” I had left.
However, oddly, that’s not the only plot point that seemed to be cast aside. The book is called, “The Dog Boy.” The main character goes to work for a truly horrible mother whose son has taken to behaving like a dog as a way of acting out his anguish about his parents’ divorce. I assumed that, since the book was named, “The Dog Boy,” this character — and what happened to him — would have some strong importance to how the book worked out. But no. Apparently having his beloved father murdered in the family home has helped cure him of his malady, which seems to resolve fairly well, without much more attention being paid to it.
Does the main character return to her home in Galveston, Texas, after the death of her son? No, she doesn’t. Why? I have no clue. I guess because the author better liked the idea of having her marry a shell-shocked paranoid war veteran possessed of far below average hygiene.
The denouement of the novel felt contrived and tacked on. It didn’t really follow from the dramatic plot points earlier in the novel. I almost wondered if he just kept re-writing the ending until he came up with one that his editor thought was okay. There didn’t seem to be any organic roundness, no real satisfaction in how the plot worked out. Son died. Weird kid kinda got better. Heroine decided to stay in California and marry across color lines.
To be fair, I should note that there are some very nice moments of incidental description in the novel. They took me by surprise and gave me some respect for the author’s talents.
The final conundrum about this novel is how it got a relatively positive review from “Kirkus Reviews.” I would guess that they’re available for purchase these days.
Oh, and I should note that the brave or foolhardy author was kind enough to give me a copy of this book in the hope that I would review it. Mission accomplished.
To begin with we have a main character who thinks eloquently in what is largely standard English but who speaks in a dialect that is closer to early-modern Amos-’n-Andy. (Please note that the black actors playing the parts in the 50s television series were told to imitate the voice and language of the two white vaudevillians who had played the parts in the original series on radio — which means that what I call “Amos-’n-Andy” dialect is black actors attempting to recreate white actors pretending to be black people. Only in this case, it’s worse. We have a white author attempting to recreate black actors attempting to sound like white — oh, forget it. You know what I mean. It’s damned derivative.) It’s not just that the author has gotten carried away with trying to capture the sound of how Black-Americans may (or may not) have spoken sixty years ago. It’s worse than that. When the main character’s son wants to say the word “hear,” the author has rendered it as “here,” which is a real puzzler for me. The words “hear” and “here” are homonyms. They sound identical. So, what is the author trying to tell us about this character by having him say “here” when he means “hear”? To me, it can only be interpreted as either an extremely unfortunate typo or as a way of suggesting that these people are too dumb to know the difference, even when they are using words that sound identical.
I should also note that the book’s dialect was a major factor in making it very hard for me to completely suspend my disbelief.
But it wasn’t just the dialect. The words that come out of the black characters’ mouths tend to be heavy on both clichés and simplistic moralizing. This adds to the feeling that the author doesn’t think that they are all that bright.
But let’s set the dialect aside to move onto other aspects of the book. The first three-quarters of the novel is centered around the efforts by the mother of a young African-American Marine, wounded on Iwo Jima, to get the “colored needles” required to administer life-saving treatments of penicillin. So here we have a grave injustice and a life-or-death race to get these needles in time to save the young man. Those are a couple of great pivots on which to have a plot to turn.
*** Spoiler alerts follow. Please do not read on unless you want to have the plot ruined for you. ***
So why does the author, around chapter 19, throw out the penicillin needle plot and have the young man die of a condition that his doctors explicitly and repeatedly state has nothing to do with his getting penicillin injections?
And what’s worse, why does the author have this heroic young man then die from complications of what is stated, very explicitly, to be a result of infection with the Hepatitis C virus? The young man must have excellent doctors. Given that the term “Hepatitis C” wasn’t coined until the 1980s, they must have been very good, indeed, excellent time-traveling doctors.
I know that many people aren’t as conversant with medical history as I am, but it’s never a good idea to state that a character dies of a specific ailment unless you know enough about it not to make a complete fool out of yourself.
When I ran into Hepatitis C in Chapter 19, this destroyed whatever “suspension of disbelief” I had left.
However, oddly, that’s not the only plot point that seemed to be cast aside. The book is called, “The Dog Boy.” The main character goes to work for a truly horrible mother whose son has taken to behaving like a dog as a way of acting out his anguish about his parents’ divorce. I assumed that, since the book was named, “The Dog Boy,” this character — and what happened to him — would have some strong importance to how the book worked out. But no. Apparently having his beloved father murdered in the family home has helped cure him of his malady, which seems to resolve fairly well, without much more attention being paid to it.
Does the main character return to her home in Galveston, Texas, after the death of her son? No, she doesn’t. Why? I have no clue. I guess because the author better liked the idea of having her marry a shell-shocked paranoid war veteran possessed of far below average hygiene.
The denouement of the novel felt contrived and tacked on. It didn’t really follow from the dramatic plot points earlier in the novel. I almost wondered if he just kept re-writing the ending until he came up with one that his editor thought was okay. There didn’t seem to be any organic roundness, no real satisfaction in how the plot worked out. Son died. Weird kid kinda got better. Heroine decided to stay in California and marry across color lines.
To be fair, I should note that there are some very nice moments of incidental description in the novel. They took me by surprise and gave me some respect for the author’s talents.
The final conundrum about this novel is how it got a relatively positive review from “Kirkus Reviews.” I would guess that they’re available for purchase these days.
Oh, and I should note that the brave or foolhardy author was kind enough to give me a copy of this book in the hope that I would review it. Mission accomplished.
May 26, 2017
Phosie May, a mother whose son got injured at Iwo Jima, in the War. A mother who would cross the country and do everything to save her son, Will. Phosie believes God is torturing her, while her friends keep telling her to believe in Providence. She is a good Christian woman, who believes in honesty, loyalty, love, and giving. Actually I took a lot of her advice to my heart, she is a character to love. She lands a job with a Jewish family, and the mother and son are out of control. Phosie needs this job to stay close to her son, and puts up with their wacky ways.....but somehow true change happens. Providence is real. Just Phosie doesn't see it yet.
I loved this book! It is set back in the 1940's. It reminds me of the book The Help, because it feels like after I read the book it gave me a warm hug and warm fuzzies. The writing is superb and the characters just pull you right in by the strings of your heart. This book should be a best seller! It is a story that will stay with you for a lifetime and one you can go back and read again and again. I just can't say how much this book touched my heart and how much I really loved it!!!!
I recommend this book to mother's, son's and anyone who loves a good book.
I won a copy from the author but all opinions are my own.
I loved this book! It is set back in the 1940's. It reminds me of the book The Help, because it feels like after I read the book it gave me a warm hug and warm fuzzies. The writing is superb and the characters just pull you right in by the strings of your heart. This book should be a best seller! It is a story that will stay with you for a lifetime and one you can go back and read again and again. I just can't say how much this book touched my heart and how much I really loved it!!!!
I recommend this book to mother's, son's and anyone who loves a good book.
I won a copy from the author but all opinions are my own.
January 16, 2016
I won this through a Goodreads giveaway.
The dialogue in this book was sometimes distracting, however, I felt compelled to continue reading, as I had to discover how all things would end. A mother's love for her son could not have been more clearly expressed than in Phosie. This book had a ton of characters, and a ton was happening. It was an okay read, but I somehow felt disconnect from most characters as I read the book. It wasn't a great read, but it wasn't terrible either. Solid 3 stars.
The dialogue in this book was sometimes distracting, however, I felt compelled to continue reading, as I had to discover how all things would end. A mother's love for her son could not have been more clearly expressed than in Phosie. This book had a ton of characters, and a ton was happening. It was an okay read, but I somehow felt disconnect from most characters as I read the book. It wasn't a great read, but it wasn't terrible either. Solid 3 stars.
June 24, 2015
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I thought it was well written, and did a very good job depicting life in the 1940's. Even though some things were horrifying, the characters drew me in. I enjoyed reading it.
September 21, 2017
I received this book for free in a Goodreads giveaway. After posting my honest review the author decided to email me, patronizing me because my opinion was wrong and I couldn't honestly think that way. This is absolutely NOT OKAY. I blocked the author and immediately contacted Goodreads about the problem. IF YOU SEND OUT BOOKS FOR REVIEW YOU CANNOT BLAME THE REVIEWER FOR NOT LOVING YOUR BOOK. This happened in January but I am changing my review because I see another person has experienced the same problem with this author. IT IS NOT OKAY TO ATTACK SOMEONE BECAUSE OF THEIR OPINION ON A BOOK. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND ANY WORKS BY THIS AUTHOR BECAUSE OF HIS BEHAVIOR.
October 25, 2019
I laughed out loud and cried tears down my face and I loved every bit of it.
March 11, 2017
The description on this book says this is the story of a colored soldier who is injured in WWII and the struggle for his mother to secure "colored needles" so her son can get treatment. However, the title refers to a child of the woman the mother works for and the bulk of the story then moves to that household.
The story that dealt with the mistreatment of black soldiers was interesting and sad however I had problems going along with a lot of other plot lines. The family the mother works for is way beyond toxic and it seemed far-fetched she would feel that trapped or stay on with the family. The love interest between the mother and her employer's brother seemed odd. The mother talks in a dialect that grates and while she claims it is to fit what she thinks are expectations white people have she also thinks in the same dialect. The best part of this book for me were some observations the mother would make about life and human nature.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
The story that dealt with the mistreatment of black soldiers was interesting and sad however I had problems going along with a lot of other plot lines. The family the mother works for is way beyond toxic and it seemed far-fetched she would feel that trapped or stay on with the family. The love interest between the mother and her employer's brother seemed odd. The mother talks in a dialect that grates and while she claims it is to fit what she thinks are expectations white people have she also thinks in the same dialect. The best part of this book for me were some observations the mother would make about life and human nature.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
July 11, 2015
When I entered and won this book from goodreads, I was hoping for a book similar to "The Help", that was not at all what I got. There were some very good aspects of the story, I wish that the author would have focused more on them. The storyline about Phosie's son being shot while defending this country, yet still unable to get needles for penicillin to treat his wounds was a tremendous part of history that I felt was just glossed over in this book. I would have read an entire novel, twice this thick about a mother's struggle to get her son the treatment he deserved and earned.
Unfortunately a large portion of the novel was dedicated to the dysfunctional Goldberg family. I couldn't bring myself to care about them and their problems, and actually spent a large amount of time wondering how Mrs. Goldberg could afford a housekeeper, and wanted her in a uniform, when she was forever complaining about not getting child support or alimony, and didn't have money for necessities.
My largest complaint about the novel as a whole though was the dialogue. There was WAY TOO MUCH! It seemed like most of the novel was told by conversations between the characters and then Phosie's contradicting private thoughts and not just regular ol' descriptive writing. The dialect used is very jarring, and it took me awhile to get used to it and even then I found myself skipping over the sections where the little boy did his dog noises. It was repetitive and frustrating.
I feel like I may be complaining too much, because I did enjoy several aspects of the story. As I said, the needle issue was fascinating and heartbreaking to me, and I would have loved to see more about the interracial relationship, but you had to work harder than I typically like to get to those parts.
Unfortunately a large portion of the novel was dedicated to the dysfunctional Goldberg family. I couldn't bring myself to care about them and their problems, and actually spent a large amount of time wondering how Mrs. Goldberg could afford a housekeeper, and wanted her in a uniform, when she was forever complaining about not getting child support or alimony, and didn't have money for necessities.
My largest complaint about the novel as a whole though was the dialogue. There was WAY TOO MUCH! It seemed like most of the novel was told by conversations between the characters and then Phosie's contradicting private thoughts and not just regular ol' descriptive writing. The dialect used is very jarring, and it took me awhile to get used to it and even then I found myself skipping over the sections where the little boy did his dog noises. It was repetitive and frustrating.
I feel like I may be complaining too much, because I did enjoy several aspects of the story. As I said, the needle issue was fascinating and heartbreaking to me, and I would have loved to see more about the interracial relationship, but you had to work harder than I typically like to get to those parts.
December 4, 2014
The first thing I must mention about this book is the difference in dialogue from Phosie's narrative voice and her internal dialogue. Her internal dialogue with herself is in a language different then what she speaks, which makes sense, but it is very confusing at some points, especially with the spelling errors. Were they on purpose, showing her educational level? But then again, there were typos elsewhere in the book. I'm sure this book will be going through another editing process, since there seemed to be quite a few errors.
There was a big difference between her internal dialogue and what she actually says in conversation. It's almost as if she thinks one conversation, but speaks on another. I guess we all do this every day on auto pilot but I had a hard time keeping up with it. She speaks in a lot of clichés and some of them aren't appropriate, so it shows she is either ignorant or ballsy.
It made it challenging to get through, but not in a bad way. I was determined to figure her out and take out all confusion. By the end of the book, some of it was wrapped up, while others were left with mystery. I mean, a tragedy happens in her hometown, and she doesn't drop what she's doing to attend to it. Something I found odd. I don't want to give too much away and spoil the book, so I'll just generalize it by saying her behavior doesn't always match reality.
As I read this book, I kept hoping it was going to get better, but it continued to stay mediocre. Which isn't always a bad thing, and is not in this particular case. It just had a lot of dead ends, open questions, and surprising moments. Overall I would give this book a 3/5.
There was a big difference between her internal dialogue and what she actually says in conversation. It's almost as if she thinks one conversation, but speaks on another. I guess we all do this every day on auto pilot but I had a hard time keeping up with it. She speaks in a lot of clichés and some of them aren't appropriate, so it shows she is either ignorant or ballsy.
It made it challenging to get through, but not in a bad way. I was determined to figure her out and take out all confusion. By the end of the book, some of it was wrapped up, while others were left with mystery. I mean, a tragedy happens in her hometown, and she doesn't drop what she's doing to attend to it. Something I found odd. I don't want to give too much away and spoil the book, so I'll just generalize it by saying her behavior doesn't always match reality.
As I read this book, I kept hoping it was going to get better, but it continued to stay mediocre. Which isn't always a bad thing, and is not in this particular case. It just had a lot of dead ends, open questions, and surprising moments. Overall I would give this book a 3/5.
July 12, 2015
XXX I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway from Noel Anenberg. Thank you for allowing me to preview this novel.
The Dog Boy follows Phosie Mae Eaton in the winter of 1945 as she travels from Galveston Island, TX to Los Angeles, CA as she goes to the bedside of her wounded son, Will L. Eaton, Gunnery Sergeant, US Marines. Will Eaton was one of the first black soldiers to join up as soon as the Marines would allow black men to serve. He was ounded at Iwo Jima. Will is housed in a civil war era hospital ward on the grounds of an impressive white military hospital, and though penicillin which could save Will is available, there are no "colored needles" so his infected abdominal gunshot wound is being treated with Russian penicillin, or garlic.
Phosie Mae takes a job with an uneducated, eccentric divorcee, Lucile Goldberg, who has a 5 year old son Billy. Phosie needs to stay in LA to be close to the hospital where her boy is being treated, and she feels that perhaps she can help Billy Goldberg as well. Billy is a traumatized, neglected child who patterns himself after his only friend and missing dog Blackie, who was intentionally 'lost' by Billy's mother after his father moved out.
Noel Anenberg does a great job with his story, and the descriptions of 1940's L.A. Posie's voice is at times a little stilted, but the feel of her heart song is clear and realistic and the mental picture evoked of L. A. just following WWII is vivid and feels authentic. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and southern tales, as well.
The Dog Boy follows Phosie Mae Eaton in the winter of 1945 as she travels from Galveston Island, TX to Los Angeles, CA as she goes to the bedside of her wounded son, Will L. Eaton, Gunnery Sergeant, US Marines. Will Eaton was one of the first black soldiers to join up as soon as the Marines would allow black men to serve. He was ounded at Iwo Jima. Will is housed in a civil war era hospital ward on the grounds of an impressive white military hospital, and though penicillin which could save Will is available, there are no "colored needles" so his infected abdominal gunshot wound is being treated with Russian penicillin, or garlic.
Phosie Mae takes a job with an uneducated, eccentric divorcee, Lucile Goldberg, who has a 5 year old son Billy. Phosie needs to stay in LA to be close to the hospital where her boy is being treated, and she feels that perhaps she can help Billy Goldberg as well. Billy is a traumatized, neglected child who patterns himself after his only friend and missing dog Blackie, who was intentionally 'lost' by Billy's mother after his father moved out.
Noel Anenberg does a great job with his story, and the descriptions of 1940's L.A. Posie's voice is at times a little stilted, but the feel of her heart song is clear and realistic and the mental picture evoked of L. A. just following WWII is vivid and feels authentic. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, and southern tales, as well.
October 21, 2014
"The Dog Boy" is a well-written book about a widowed black woman from south Texas and the life she led after receiving a telegram from the war department telling her her son had been injured in action, and the life she led after making the trip to California to see him. The way she and her son were treated, and Mr. Anenberg's detailed descriptions of the racism faced by our black heros lucky enough to actually make it home injured and their families and the medical care they received, or the lack thereof. There were many points when the scenes moved me to tears. Mr. Anenberg wasn't afraid to clearly show the way the black Americans of the time were good enough to fight and possibly get wounded or die for our country, but once they made it home, they were treated as less than second class citizens-without even the right to vote. Even the dead weren't equally treated. Mr. Anenberg wrote an excellent and touching book about a time generally glossed over or skipped entirely when our country's history is taught. This book would be great for everyone from high school age though adult should read. "No colored needles," really?
March 4, 2016
I won this in a Goodreads First Reads giveaway...thank you! This book has a ton of potential, because the story is good, but there are some problems. Although most of the main characters are African American it doesn't feel like they are. They seem like white people pretending to be black people. Phosie Mae's dialogue was particularily cringe-worthy with her Amos n Andy dialect (and completely different from her internal dialogue...which was confusing, to say the least). And then there were the endless similes...so many that they became obvious and irritating. And the repetitive YIP-YIP-YIP's and G-R-R-R-R's became pretty irritating as well. Maybe the author could have replaced some of it with..."he continued to bark...or to growl," or something similar? I think the author needs to rethink the title too, as the title needs to somehow have a connection to Phosie's son, Will. But with some serious and sensitive editing this book definitely has potential because the characters are interesting, the story is great, and although there are some problems with the writing, it is still quite good.
December 18, 2014
When Phosie Eaton received the letter stating her son, Will, had been wounded in action, and was in a California hospital, she rushed there to see him. Once there, she was appalled to find out the substandard treatment he was being given, with him being of color. Phosie finds a job where she can live and clean the household. As dysfunctional as the household is, what with the lady of the house screaming and bringing home drunks, the next-door-neighbor-brother is shell-shocked and a bit creepy, and the small son acts like a dog and bites, this is her only choice if she wants to stay near Will. With every day, a new challenge comes along. Phosie begins to wonder if she will survive this wild family long enough to get Will the help he needs.
This story’s plot takes place during a seven-month period but feels like so much longer. Phosie was so well developed and likeable, as were several other characters. I could feel all her despair and my heart went out to her. The author did an amazing job of depicting that time period accurately. I loved the way this story kept me laughing all the way through.
This story’s plot takes place during a seven-month period but feels like so much longer. Phosie was so well developed and likeable, as were several other characters. I could feel all her despair and my heart went out to her. The author did an amazing job of depicting that time period accurately. I loved the way this story kept me laughing all the way through.
June 25, 2014
I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads First reads giveaway.
At the risk of sounding sexist, I find it rather surprising that the author is a man. Only because he has so convincingly captured a mother's love for her son.
Phosie Mae has faced many challenges in her lifetime, not the least of which is being a black woman in the 1940's. Phosie Mae is a strong woman though and never fails to meet challenges head on. Through the turmoil, she forges a new family, flawed though they may be.
So much did I enjoy this book and its engaging characters that I found myself slowing down near the end, not wanting it to be over. I've also started my own "Favorites of 2014" shelf, with The Dog Boy being the first entry.
*I've decided to revise a bit after reading some of the more negative reviews of this book. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion but what really bothered me was the feeling that either the reviewer breezed through the book, failing to grasp the story or read an entirely different book completely.
At the risk of sounding sexist, I find it rather surprising that the author is a man. Only because he has so convincingly captured a mother's love for her son.
Phosie Mae has faced many challenges in her lifetime, not the least of which is being a black woman in the 1940's. Phosie Mae is a strong woman though and never fails to meet challenges head on. Through the turmoil, she forges a new family, flawed though they may be.
So much did I enjoy this book and its engaging characters that I found myself slowing down near the end, not wanting it to be over. I've also started my own "Favorites of 2014" shelf, with The Dog Boy being the first entry.
*I've decided to revise a bit after reading some of the more negative reviews of this book. Of course everyone is entitled to their own opinion but what really bothered me was the feeling that either the reviewer breezed through the book, failing to grasp the story or read an entirely different book completely.
July 18, 2014
*I received my copy via a goodreads giveaway*
With the pain of her husband's death still raw, Phosie Mae Eaton leaves behind the life she knows to be at her injured son's bedside. He signed up to be a marine, and with the war over he's lying gravely ill in hospital waiting for 'colored' hypodermics to become available. To do so she has little choice but to take a job with an eccentric - and unstable - young women, and her son, who has taken on the personality of their former pet dog.
There is a lot going on in this book, but it works. Each character has their own story, their own journey to find their place in the world, and to try and make the most of life. The language (cursing, etc) is fairly frequent and extreme, so if you find that off-putting this may not be the book for you, but it reflects the mindset of the characters using it.
I found the ending touching and uplifting - sometimes what we need is right beside us, we just need to reach for it.
With the pain of her husband's death still raw, Phosie Mae Eaton leaves behind the life she knows to be at her injured son's bedside. He signed up to be a marine, and with the war over he's lying gravely ill in hospital waiting for 'colored' hypodermics to become available. To do so she has little choice but to take a job with an eccentric - and unstable - young women, and her son, who has taken on the personality of their former pet dog.
There is a lot going on in this book, but it works. Each character has their own story, their own journey to find their place in the world, and to try and make the most of life. The language (cursing, etc) is fairly frequent and extreme, so if you find that off-putting this may not be the book for you, but it reflects the mindset of the characters using it.
I found the ending touching and uplifting - sometimes what we need is right beside us, we just need to reach for it.
April 24, 2015
I received this book as a First Reads from Good Reads. I loved the characters in this story. Phosie comes to LA to see her son in the military hospital. Though he is a war hero he can't get the treatment he needs because he is African American. Phosie will do whatever it takes to be close to him and save him. The supporting characters are flawed and charming. They become an unusual but endearing family of sorts. There is Lucile, the victim of a bad marriage who hires Phosie. They grow close, even though the race difference is a big issue in the 40's. Lucile's brother takes a shine to Phosie brightening her spirits though he suffers his own war wounds. Lucile's son, the dog boy, has taken on his favorite dog as a persona and adds a little excitement and interest to the story. The child warms up to Phosie. It is a heartwarming story of getting help when you need it from the most unexpected people.
October 30, 2014
I won this through Goodreads, and it's a complicated book, dealing with issues of racism and domestic violence. I think it's actually pretty well handled, and not gratuitous, but I personally find domestic violence too traumatizing to enjoy reading about it in a novel for fun. However, the whole issue of 'coloured needles' is super important and something that should be remembered and not lost from the historical record.
Edited to add that if you like 'The Help', I think you'll like this one.
Edited to add that if you like 'The Help', I think you'll like this one.
November 30, 2014
Goodreads giveaway winner - thank you!
I really enjoyed this book, particularly the main character's internal monologues which gave you a real insight into her interior world. The story moved along at a good pace and the characters were captivating even though they were extreme. I liked the concept of damaged people coming together and healing each other. I would recommend that the blurb on the back of the book be re-drafted, it gives away too much and I almost felt there would be no need to read the book.
I really enjoyed this book, particularly the main character's internal monologues which gave you a real insight into her interior world. The story moved along at a good pace and the characters were captivating even though they were extreme. I liked the concept of damaged people coming together and healing each other. I would recommend that the blurb on the back of the book be re-drafted, it gives away too much and I almost felt there would be no need to read the book.
May 31, 2014
Goodreads win. Will win and review once received.
I will admit this book has its faults, but I found it in the end to be very good and captivating. It gives you a decent look in an African American in post WW2 LA. The storyline of the book seemed quite realistic in my opinion. I thought it was interesting how the author exposes the tradgey of American life before civil rights finally came to be. I will admit there were quite a few times that I found myself tearing up and feeling sad. One of the best things is by the end of the book it offers some hope.
I will admit this book has its faults, but I found it in the end to be very good and captivating. It gives you a decent look in an African American in post WW2 LA. The storyline of the book seemed quite realistic in my opinion. I thought it was interesting how the author exposes the tradgey of American life before civil rights finally came to be. I will admit there were quite a few times that I found myself tearing up and feeling sad. One of the best things is by the end of the book it offers some hope.
March 3, 2016
Although I enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others, I only gave it 3 stars. This is probably not fair because I only have 2 reasons for this. The first reason, I didn't like all the bad language. Granted, it was needed for building the characters that used it. The other reason I started re-reading it again is because I was confused about a few of the characters' ages. Without giving any spoilers, that is about all I can say about it. Both of these reasons are entirely my hang ups.
That being said, I would probably read another book by this author.
That being said, I would probably read another book by this author.
August 11, 2014
An incredibly heart-warming and humbling tale that had me hooked from the get-go!
I recommend this to anyone who has a heart and thinks they have it tough in life.
A wonderfully characterful and well-written eye-opener.
I recommend this to anyone who has a heart and thinks they have it tough in life.
A wonderfully characterful and well-written eye-opener.
December 24, 2014
I wasn't too sure about this book at the beginning. I wondered what I could possibly find in common with a black house servant in the 1940's. But the story really drew me in. I loved the positive attitude of Phoesie even through her troubles. The ending was fantastic! Great read.
July 6, 2015
I won this book on Goodreads!
The dialog takes a little getting used to, but a compelling read.
A mother's love for her son who is sent to a military hospital after being wounded at Iwo Jima.
A look at 1940's America. I enjoyed it.
The dialog takes a little getting used to, but a compelling read.
A mother's love for her son who is sent to a military hospital after being wounded at Iwo Jima.
A look at 1940's America. I enjoyed it.
June 22, 2014
Thank you to the author and Goodreads for sending me a copy of this book. I liked reading this book, it was well written and we could very easily relate to the characters.
Want to read
August 20, 2014I am excited and grateful to be a Goodreads winner. Thank you I look forward to reading this book.
August 30, 2014
Dog Boy
what an entertaining story. one felt wrapped up in the moment living in the post war era waiting for the world to see what you already know to be true.
what an entertaining story. one felt wrapped up in the moment living in the post war era waiting for the world to see what you already know to be true.
December 18, 2015
Amazing stories ! Thank
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