Cormac: The Tale of a Dog Gone Missing

by Sonny Brewer

In the same vein as Marley and Me and My Dog Skip, this “mostly true” novel is at once a whimsical campfire mystery and a universal story about the friendship between a man and his dog.

Cormac, a golden retriever who has always been afraid of thunderstorms and lightning flashes, runs away one stormy night while his master is away.

So begins a strange adventure that lands Cormac in the back of a red pickup truck driven by a mysterious woman, takes him to a series of dog pounds and rescue shelters, and ultimately brings him to the suburbs of Connecticut. His owner, meanwhile, devastated by Cormac’s disappearance and trying to juggle a family, a book tour, and writing his new novel, becomes determined to solve the “dog-napping” case. With the help of the local veterinarian, bookstore colleagues, animal rescue employees, and old friends, he picks up on Cormac’s trail and watches his small-town community come together in search of his lost companion.

Inspired by real events, and embellished only to serve the story through the spirit of imagination, Brewer has, as he says, “mainly told the truth in this story of losing my good dog Cormac.”

Genres: Dogs, Animals, Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Memoir

Audio CD

First published September 28, 2007

About the author

Sonny Brewer is the author of four novels, including The Poet of Tolstory Park and The Widow and the Tree. He edited the anthology series Stories from the Blue Moon Café and most recently, Don't Quit Your Day Job - Acclaimed Authors and the Day Jobs they Quit published by MP Publishing in 2010.

Reviews

[Krista · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I say Fairhope is a small town in Alabama, think of art galleries and coffee shops and cafés and sailboats bobbing at anchor on Mobile Bay, beneath the high bluff upon which the town is perched. Think of flowers on the corners of brick-paved sidewalks, gnarly live oaks draped with Spanish moss, magnolias and tall pines swaying in waterfront breezes that smell faintly of fish and salt. Think of a bustling independent bookstore on the corner; and think of my sleepy bookstore with old and rare volumes just down the street. Think of twelve thousand residents and more published authors per capita than any other place in the country. Think of a new library that is the centerpiece of the town's architecture.

Now think about the world's handsomest and sweetest Golden Retriever, as smart as any four-year-old child, who answers to the name Cormac, and who lives on the outskirts of Fairhope in an aging farmhouse on an easy hill, with two acres to roam, complete with a barn and swimming pool. Think of what a great place this is from which to launch a red-haired dog's bizarre adventure.

I am not against having my heartstrings pulled by a shaggy dog story – I cried over both Marley and Me and Lily and the Octopus – and as I have had a ridiculous amount of fun sharing my home with a now five month old Minidoodle named Cormac, a book entitled “Cormac: The Tale of a Dog Gone Missing” seemed an easy fit; I wasn't asking much of this book – just entertain me for a while. This “based on a true story” novel of a doggy who gets separated from his family had heartsting-pulling potential – I have no doubt that author Sonny Brewer loved Cormac and his disappearance was devastating for their family – and the details that Brewer's search revealed were of the “truth is stranger than fiction” variety, but the execution of this book was just passingly satisfactory. Brewer himself doesn't come off as very likeable, and for someone who tells us repeatedly that people tell him he's a good writer, this isn't amazingly written. Still no regrets: I got plenty of laughs from people who have met my dog and then saw me posing with this book.

Several of my customers at Over the Transom have heard me say that Cormac McCarthy's literary craftsmanship is unexcelled, have heard me preach that McCarthy's penchant for infusing violence with a love of language is exquisite. I believe, and have hand-sold the opinion, that Cormac McCarthy's unblinking eye catches man's blood-smeared meanness in the glaring light of his particular art and renders it required viewing. It occurred to me that Mr. McCarthy might not be flattered to share his name with such a sweet, doe-eyed fellow as the Golden Retriever in the back seat of my Jeep. But, if Cormac McCarthy knew that I was a bookseller specializing in used and rare volumes, that I'd invested $750 for a first edition of Blood Meridian, then perhaps he might not judge his name taken in vain.

(Yes, I named my own dog after Cormac McCarthy, but when people ask, I prefer to explain my secondary reason: that “Cormac” was a legendary Irish king and that seemed a fitting name for my red-haired Doodle.) So: Sonny Brewer was a bookstore owner in the hipster town of Fairhope, Alabama, barely making ends meet, when he decided to send an unfinished manuscript out to an agent. He was immediately taken on, the agent found a publisher, and in a whirlwind of success, the next thing Brewer knew, he was out on a book tour, needing to leave his four-year-old doggy at home in the care of a friend. During a brief thunder storm (which Cormac had recently developed a fear of), the dog ran through his yard's invisible fencing system (which had apparently happened a few times before), and by the time the friend called Brewer out in San Francisco to tell him the bad news, a neighbourhood search had begun. The story of the search wouldn't fill a whole book (although the details were quite interesting), so Brewer writes about his personal and professional life, and that's where he reveals himself to be someone I don't think I'd like. I didn't like the way he was always keeping important things from his wife (and when he described someone on a restaurant patio as “a small-breasted woman with straight blond hair”, I had to wonder if he really likes women at all; that description rubs me totally the wrong way.) I didn't like Brewer's history as a dog owner (he describes a series of dogs that he picked up and gave away when they weren't a good fit for his lifestyle; Cormac didn't have a microchip, despite the vet having recommended one; the invisible fence that didn't keep the dog in was never improved upon; not neutering an animal that gets away sometimes is incredibly irresponsible). I can't imagine why he would admit to setting the cruise control on his Jeep on a relaxing highway drive so he could keep one eye on the road while reading a book with the other. And as for the details of his search: I really couldn't understand why, when he called the pound and learned that a red Golden had been processed through the previous week, Brewer asked to speak to a manager, and when she said that he would need to come down in person – their policy is not to discuss details over the phone – Brewer blew up and said she's be hearing from his lawyer. And then, instead of driving to the pound, he drove to his lawyer's office – who got the same message from the manager: this is the policy. The two of them try to get others to call this manager, same result, so he goes back to his bookstore, where a friend insists on driving him to the pound – fifteen minutes away. Why wouldn't he have just gone to the pound in the first place?? More than one person tells Brewer that he's being rude on the phone – he was understandably upset over his lost dog, but as he's the one telling the story, I have to wonder just how rude he really got; I don't like him.

Ah, so much good writing, so little time. The great writers I love to read were an influence on my writing, but they also kept me from trying my own hand at fiction. Gabriel García Márquez, William Faulkner, Cormac McCarthy. I stood in stunned awe of their work. What was the point? If I couldn't write that well, why spend the ink?

Like I said at the beginning, I wasn't expecting high literature from this read, so it's unfortunate that Brewer himself invokes comparisons to these celebrated writers; unsurprisingly, he falls short. I would rate this a 2.something but am rounding up because my own good red dog is curled up on my feet and that makes me feel a little bit more kindly toward humanity.

[M. Sarki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sonny Brewer came highly recommended and so I gave this short dog memoir a go. Wish I hadn't. The writing was so poor I doubt I will read anything else by this writer. Of course, whenever a name such as Cormac McCarthy is dropped into any text a devoted fan will take notice. Sorry I did. Awful writing and basically a reporting of every detail becoming so boring I had to finally abandon the book at the halfway mark. And even then Brewer had yet to begin the feature story of Cormac's disappearance.

[Marty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good dog story. This was very sweet. I bought this book in Mobile, when we were travelling there. I went to the small local bookstore downtown and asked for books that would give me a local flavor and the bookseller suggested this one. I'm a sucker for a dog story, so I got it. It is set in Fairhope, which we went to. It's on the other side of the bay from Mobile. It was fun to read a book set in a place that I had recently been. I'm hiding this review because of spoilers. Cormac is named for Cormac McCarthy, an author whom I have not read (I don't think). Cormac gets taken to a pound by a neighbor who gets tired of him coming into her yard. It is a long ordeal with much detective work for Sonny to trace down where Cormac went. But he does get him back in the end.

[Pug · Rating 2 out of 5]

I expected to love this "mostly true story" of a good dog gone missing. And yet, the more I listened, the more I disliked it.

First of all, I would really prefer to know what parts are true and what is pure fiction.

Second, the author narrated his own book, which rarely improves the story.

Third, it dragged on and on. It would sound like it was wrapping up, and then something else popped up. None of it interesting. Most, if not all of it, should have been left on the cutting room floor.

And lastly...
Everyone's reviews are right: the author is an irresponsible dog owner! Both in general, as he admitted to rehoming quite a few dogs once they became a handful; and specifically with Cormac, including not fixing him, and refusing to giving him "doggy downers," which he really seemed to need. (Simply calling them "doggy downers" makes them sound so negative! Our dog gets Prozac and it helps her and us immensely.)

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really didn’t enjoy this. I felt like it went excruciatingly slowly, and I found myself really judging the characters, including the author, quite a bit. Electric fencing, not neutering the dog even once it hit adulthood, one man imposing his will on a woman through intimidation, even if the cause might be one I’d favor. But I did learn some things about how dogs get lost and found, and that’s why I was reading it, for Kat Albrecht’s Missing Animal Response course. In that, it has value.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the Audible version of Cormac. This is the wonderful telling of a dog lover and his dogs. Sonny Brewer's Alabama drawl made the listening even better. I was shocked at the story of how he "lost" and found his dog. For all it's humor and humanity this is serious subject.
I'm glad that Mr. Brewer and his dog were reunited.

[Stacy Atherton Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon this audiobook at the library and gave it a listen. It's narrated by the author (which I enjoy) and was a fascinating story. I particularly love when a biographical story is narrated by the author because you can hear true emotion. Listening to his voice crack as he talks about his dog is so heart-warming. I recommend this short and interesting read.

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked his easy going manner and down to earth style. I had a hard time feeling too sorry for a man who has an adult dog unneutered! This is the 21st Century! A lot of hardship for the family and the dog would have been spared had Sonny just been a man and got his dog's balls clipped!

[Deborah Jarrett · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a dog lover, this book had me from the first paragraph. I don’t know which parts of the story were embellished, but I know the eyes of love in a good dog… that part was true.😊 I loved this story and will follow this author.

[Missy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story about a dog named Cormac and his adventure.

[Paschalis]

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[Stephanie Salyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good easy relaxing read about an owner who loses his beloved dog. You'll never guess who does it?! I was shocked! Good weekend or vacation reading.

[Reeds]

I liked the dogs.

[Bethany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm an animal nut. I have two dogs of my own, who I adore, and who more times than not, I organize my life around...so any book with a picture of a dog on the cover has my interest instantly. That said, "Cormac" was an okay read, but didn't come close to measuring up to the hopes I had for it.

The story is about a man and his dog. Sonny Brewer is in the midst of releasing his first novel, and touring the country to publicize it. One night, while he's thousands of miles from home, he gets a phone call from his close friend (and dog sitter) which puts into play any dog owner's worst nightmare. Cormac is missing. During a thundershower that lasted a matter of mere minutes, Cormac took off.

Brewer spends the next three weeks searching for his dog, never giving up home that the two will be reunited. Without giving anything away, Cormac had been picked up by a Golden Retriever rescue program and processed into their system. While Cormac was not at home with his family, rest assured he was at least being taken very good care of.

I read a review written by another reader on amazon.com. I seriously don't think this woman read the same book I did. Its hard for me to properly discuss my disagreements with her review, without pretty much spoiling the entire story for those of you who might want to read it. Basically, in her review she states that she works for a Golden Retriever rescue, and was insulted by this book and how they referred to others like her as over zealous. She then went on to accuse the author of neglecting his dog, and pretty much not ever caring about him to begin with. Now, while this isn't the most interesting or entertaining book I've ever read, one thing is made crystal clear through the author's words: the man adores his dog. How she can even call that notion into question is beyond me...like I said, I don't think she read the same book I did.

The end of the story, where we learn all the facts, and all the pieces behind Cormac's disappearance start to fit together, horrified me. I began questioning the humanity in the world...its sad.

If you're a dog lover, read this book...when you're done, read the review on amazon and send that reviewer your thoughts..

[Katherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt that this book could have been much better. In the beginning, I really liked the author's writing style, but as I progressed, I didn't like it so much. I can't put my finger on it, but I felt that he was a tiny bit condescending, for lack of a better word.

As a dog lover, I was mortified that he would take down perfectly good and SAFE fencing, and put a radio control shock collar on his dog at a time when he was not going to be able to monitor him (this was while he was home, but fully engrossed in writing his novel). Naturally, the dog checked the boundaries, and not surprisingly, leapt through them. The author's answer to this was to get a stronger collar, rather than put up an actual fence. The second thing that I thought was really stupid of him was to not put a microchip in his dog at the very first opportunity. He certainly would have found Cormac a lot sooner had he done that. One more thing that was kind of irresponsible of the author was to keep his dog intact. He had no intention of showing or breeding Cormac, and so should have had him neutered. And, unless he did it and then didn't clarify it, he declined to have Cormac registered with the AKC, when all the paperwork was there when he bought the puppy.

There were a few things that just made me cringe and think, "No wonder the dog is lost!". The author never went to the shelter in person to look for the dog! I don't get that! Phone calls are not enough when you are looking for a missing pet. You have to go to the shelter! Even if they tell you that your dog is not there! People on the desks and phones at shelters are often very busy, and it is not their job to look for your pet.

All that being said, I didn't hate the book. I liked it ok, and that is what the two stars represent. Not a great book, but still a dog book, and I did read it through to make sure Cormac made it home. I hope Sonny Brewer built a fence for beautiful Cormac!

[Anna Schroeder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got send Cormac to review for Book Divas. When I first saw the summary, I was like, wow. This is going to be an amazing book. It didn't really live up to my expectations, though. First, it had a really slow start. I almost never give up on reading a book, but I got to page fifty of this one, and I was close to putting it down. If it hadn't picked up for a little bit there, I would've put it down.

Not only did it start off slow, but the pace would pick up and then drop way down like the beginning, then pick up, etc. The events weren't really.. scattered well throughout the book.

I didn't really enjoy the author's style of writing, either. It was just so... boring. You know how people like to use lots of descriptive words in one sentence? Yeah, I found that happening a lot in this novel, and that annoys me to no end. That was one thing that annoyed me about the author's style, but I guess his style just wasn't my type of thing.

The story was cute though. I couldn't even imagine losing either one of my two yellow labs. It's definitely easy to relate to the feelings in the novel because of this. If you're any kind of animal lover, dog lover in particular, you'll be able to relate to this book. You'll know the feelings being portrayed by the author. The story about how he got his dog home was really interesting as well. I never thought that it would take that much just for one little dog! So much happened to him in just a few days!

[Chelsey Mbf]

I wasn't able to finish it. I'm sure it's a very heart warming tale, but it really didn't pull me in and get me hooked soon enough. What I did read was thoughtful, well written and heartfelt. I just didn't find it was something I could get into enough that I'd hold on to the end. I read The Biography Of A Stray (a short paperback) in middle school and loved it. I was expecting it to be like that, but it wasn't, really. That's not to say it isn't a good book, it just wasn't a fitting read for my preferences (I like sci fi perhaps too much) It describes it to be like Marley and me; I didn't like Marley and me (as I found it boring and I nearly fell asleep watching it) so that may explain it. It is definitely a good read though (for those who love animal books) and much better than Marley and me (with much more narrative, too!)

[Kattie · Rating 2 out of 5]

My recommendation is that if you read this book, do not do so by audiobook.
The author reads this book as if he's never seen the material before, and he's been asked to read it in front of the class.
Despite the fact that the subtitle of this book is "A Dog Gone Missing", only a third of the book at the most is of the dog being missing. And that was the most interesting part of the book. I love and adore my dog, especially since he is the closest thing I have to a child in my life, but I don't need to hear two and a half hours of someone else's love to understand it. It gets old.
The return of the dog did make me want to run home and hug my puppy and see him smile. But there are better touching dog related stories out there.

[Patty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brewer spends the first half of the book on his personal history. His childhood and his dog then, the dog he had before Cormac and the arrival of the golden retriever pup. The second half of the book is the search for Cormac when he goes missing. While there is some of the anguish a pet owner feels when a pet is lost, there is also details of the search and the surprising travels of the dog. It gives pet owners another consideration if they are ever in this position.
The author is widely acclaimed although I thought the literary merit wasn’t that great. As a dog lover I was not swept up into the story until the very end.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the author Sonny Brewer is on a book tour his beloved golden retriever Cormac disappears from his home during a thunderstorm. The story is about Sonny's first getting Cormac and the subsequent search for the dog. While at first the book just moved along it was the middle and near the end when it picked up as one tried to figure out the "motives" and characters actions that dealt with Cormac. I listened to it on Playway and the author read his book. Again, at first I wasn't impressed but the author did fine with reading.

[SouthWestZippy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sonny Brewer's story about his life with dogs. One he gave away because he just could not handle the fact that is was being a dog I guess he wanted the dog to change its habits and take the time to train the dog. Then he gets Cormac. Cormac runs off and Sonny tells his story about trying to find him. Good story but Sonny's demeanor is a turn off so that is why the two stars. Get in the car and drive to the pounds to look for the dog not just make a call, mistakes and misidentifications and cruel people happen. Oh yes and if you know the dog can get passed the electric fence, do something.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sonny Brewer is an author/bookstore owner in Fairfhope AL. He wrote this memoir of his dog Cormac, his best friend until he went missing. Sonny searched for his dog, uncovering much about himself and other people in the process.

I listened to the audiobook, read by Mr. Brewer himself. The performance has most of the weaknesses of an amateur reading, yet, those weaknesses help to reinforce the heartfelt truth in the tale.

[Sharlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having recently lost (and found) a cat who went missing for 21 days, I can relate to the anguish the author felt when his dog, Cormac went missing. It was especially endearing to listen to the book read by the author with his engaging southern accent. I felt transported to Fairhope, Alabama and the Over the Transom Bookstore as the author recounted his heartbreaking experience of losing his beloved pet and the struggle to reclaim him.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The kids and I read this together. It was interesting and entertaining, and kept their attention. As I read in someone else's review, not the best dog story ever, but I think he wrote it for all the people that heard about his missing dog while he was on the book tour for his first book. It was a real-life doggie whodunit, and you will probably be surprised when the story unravels as to who took the dog in the first place.

[Chad · Rating 1 out of 5]

THE WORST animal "lover" book i have ever read.

***This is not a spoiler because no one should read this book. ***
the guys gives away his first dog because he could not train it right.
then when his next dog he bought goes missing he yells at all the shelters and rescue organizations for trying saving his dogs life.

I would not be surprised if the author has never owned a pet.

Also the book was named Cormac so it would pop up when people are searching for Cormack McCarthy.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a dog lover; who wouldn't love this book? I love to read about places I have been and seen. Cormac is from the small town of Fairhope, Alabama. A place I have been and love. I can imagine him hanging out in the bookstore and walking the very streets I love to walk when I visit there. Excellent read.

[Greg Robertson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very quick excellent read about Sonny & his dog. It lacks the sad ending I've heard that exists for Marley & Me but truly describes a man's relationship with his dog. I was very disappointed in Sonny in the beginning for his & Zeb's relationship but by the end of the book had a new way of looking at Sonny.

[Jennifer Morefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of animal stories with dogs being my favorite. This was a great one. It makes me want to have a golden. I also can't believe that a neighbor would be so spiteful and mean as the one in the book. It takes all kinds I guess. A good story. My only critique was that the reading was a bit unprofessional. Overall, I loved the story.

[Helen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast, pleasant, easy read. I liked his style of writing. My favorite parts of this small but true story was when the author (and "owner" of the subject dog, Cormac) would put in words what he guessed Cormac's thoughts were at any given moment.

[Stephanie A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Purports to be fiction "based on a true story," but in fact reads exactly like a pet memoir, and is just fantastic and wonderful in that regard, even though I almost didn't make it past my annoyance with the first couple of backstory chapters.