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The Reinvention of Albert Paugh
The Reinvention of Albert Paugh is a sweet, funny love story about retirees that will delight readers (and dog lovers) of any age. Dr. Albert Paugh is flunking retirement. After selling his Vashon Island veterinary practice, he soon finds himself not only lost without his work, but suddenly single. His efforts to carve out a new life, both as a bachelor and a retiree, only leave him feeling like his "golden years" are fast becoming "years of gloom." His regrets pile up until he moves to Baker's Beach where he gets to know a very special neighbor, learns that friends are the family you choose, and finds a new sense of purpose.
290 pages, Paperback
First published July 23, 2015
3 people are currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Jean Davies Okimoto
35 books14 followers“I’ve always had an appreciation for the constant balancing act between career and family and for women in the arts it can be a high wire act.”
Okimoto, who was born in 1942 in Cleveland, Ohio, knows of what she speaks. An acclaimed children’s author, playwright, retired psychotherapist, wife, mother, and grandmother, she has worn many hats since Putnam published her first book in 1978.
With The Love Ceiling, her eighteenth book and one she calls “my debut novel for my own age group,” Okimoto delivers a charming and poignant exploration of a long marriage and the conflicts that arise in both in retirement and in parenting adult children. The roles of a woman in her sixties: wife, mother, grandmother and artist are richly drawn with complexity and depth.
Many of the themes resonate for women across generations, but the author is especially passionate about reaching older women, a huge segment of the population which Okimoto feels has not been well served by large publishers. With rave reviews from early readers and endorsers such as Christiane Northrup, MD author and host of the PBS television special Mother-Daughter Wisdom, Okimoto’s debut adult novel is fast becoming a book club favorite.
The Love Ceiling won top honors in the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards adding to the author’s numerous awards which include Smithsonian Notable Book, the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, the Washington Governor’s Award, the Green Earth Book Award, and the International Reading Association Readers Choice Award. Jean Davies Okimoto’s books and short stories have been translated into Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Turkish, German, and Hebrew. A resident of the Pacific Northwest since 1968, Jeanie Okimoto and her husband live on Vashon Island near Seattle.
Okimoto, who was born in 1942 in Cleveland, Ohio, knows of what she speaks. An acclaimed children’s author, playwright, retired psychotherapist, wife, mother, and grandmother, she has worn many hats since Putnam published her first book in 1978.
With The Love Ceiling, her eighteenth book and one she calls “my debut novel for my own age group,” Okimoto delivers a charming and poignant exploration of a long marriage and the conflicts that arise in both in retirement and in parenting adult children. The roles of a woman in her sixties: wife, mother, grandmother and artist are richly drawn with complexity and depth.
Many of the themes resonate for women across generations, but the author is especially passionate about reaching older women, a huge segment of the population which Okimoto feels has not been well served by large publishers. With rave reviews from early readers and endorsers such as Christiane Northrup, MD author and host of the PBS television special Mother-Daughter Wisdom, Okimoto’s debut adult novel is fast becoming a book club favorite.
The Love Ceiling won top honors in the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards adding to the author’s numerous awards which include Smithsonian Notable Book, the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults, the Washington Governor’s Award, the Green Earth Book Award, and the International Reading Association Readers Choice Award. Jean Davies Okimoto’s books and short stories have been translated into Japanese, Italian, Chinese, Turkish, German, and Hebrew. A resident of the Pacific Northwest since 1968, Jeanie Okimoto and her husband live on Vashon Island near Seattle.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 13, 2020
This gentle read is a gem, touching on some important personal matters. Al Paugh recently had one of this disconcerting life experiences where the figurative rug is pulled out from under him at age 67. After he has a mild heart attack and his wife undergoes cancer treatment, Al decides to give up his vet practice. When his wife recovers, she asks for a divorce and sells the house she owned before their marriage, and his vet practice goes to a scoundrel who issues a non-compete clause. Women, uncomfortably, start hitting on him.
Losing his home, marriage, and work makes Al feel like he is flunking life, or at least retirement. He and his dog Bert though walk a meandering passage through this stage of life and emerge triumphant.
Beautiful Vashon Island (Washington) is depicted well, as are the variety of friends Al comes to rely on. This showcases later-in-life love, re-imagining work, childhood abuse, elderly issues of loneliness and Alzheimer's, and especially the value of dogs, BIG dogs!
I read this in slow motion as the rest of my time was frenzied. This is a lovely story to pick up and place down and then resume with no real fragmentation. Restful.
Losing his home, marriage, and work makes Al feel like he is flunking life, or at least retirement. He and his dog Bert though walk a meandering passage through this stage of life and emerge triumphant.
Beautiful Vashon Island (Washington) is depicted well, as are the variety of friends Al comes to rely on. This showcases later-in-life love, re-imagining work, childhood abuse, elderly issues of loneliness and Alzheimer's, and especially the value of dogs, BIG dogs!
I read this in slow motion as the rest of my time was frenzied. This is a lovely story to pick up and place down and then resume with no real fragmentation. Restful.
June 14, 2019
Al Paugh finds his life shifting: he recently sold his veterinary practice and retired, he's on the cusp of a divorce and finds himself unmoored by life. How does he reinvent himself and his identity? With the help of Bert, his chocolate lab, and his neighbors on Vashon Island, Al eventually finds solid footing. This is a lovely story that envelops you like a warm hug on a cold winter's night. Highly recommend this book for anyone who is negotiating life after retirement, anyone who loves dogs, and/or someone looking for a book to get lost in.
August 6, 2017
This is one of those books that has a few shortcomings from a literary standpoint, but is an endearing story worth the read. Albert Paugh has found himself retired from being an animal vet and in the process of a divorce. Al needs to discover what he will do to fill his time now that he is a retiree. The story takes place on Vashon island, so if you live in the Seattle area it is fun to see the references to the community. The characters are relateable and capture the feel of a social community on a small island.
October 30, 2023
This is really a dog book. If you love dogs, I'm sure you'll love it. Gentle fiction, about a retired veterinarian on a small island in the Pacific Northwest. The ending was great but I'm so not a dog person so much of it was a slog for me. Not another dog story?!!? That type of thing, just sayin'. I enjoyed the other two books by this author centered on the same island, but not part of a series in the usual sense: Walter's Muse and The Love Ceiling.
August 23, 2015
Not every retiree calls themselves Joyfully Retired. Some people, like Albert Paugh, retire and then regret it. In Albert’s case, retirement was something he was forced to do. He’d had a heart attack and surgery, his wife panicked and made him retire. But Al had established his own veterinary practice. It was something he was very proud of, not something he wanted to leave.
Now, months after the sale, Al finds himself making a daily trip back toward his old clinic. He crouches down in his car and spies on the new owner. He spots the new guy doing things he would never do. Al has big regrets about his decision to leave the clinic.
On top of that now Albert’s marriage is over. He has to sell his house and move. This puts Albert alone for the first time in decades. This accumulation of events could push Al into a deep depression, but fortunately for Albert, he has some great friends and neighbors and a wonderful companion in his loyal, fun-loving dog, Bert. Albert learns that it’s not too late to “reinvent” himself.
Traveling beside Albert as he reinvents himself was a fun and interesting experience. He has a good group of friends accompanying him, some of whom I’d met before in the two previous Vashon Island books. A nice surprise for me, I loved Albert’s dog. I’m not a big dog person, but I think I could be one if I had Bert. He was the best non-speaking character in the story! (Actually, he communicates beautifully without words.)
Almost every retired person I know has a well-developed philosophy about retirement. It is one of our favorite topics. We observe our fellow retirees, we analyze them and then spend hours kibitzing about them (and, of course, with them -ha).
Some retirees jump right in and embrace their retirement with gusto. They behave as if they are on repeated two-week vacations. But, there are many more who feel somewhat adrift. After all, their identity, their job has just gone away. Who are they now? Many retirees find they, just like Albert, must re-identify or reinvent themselves. It’s my opinion that they don’t successfully do it alone. It takes friends, family and, in the case of retirees who move away from “home,” a new community of friends and family to make it happen.
Jean Davies OkimotoI’m so glad Jean Davies Okimoto has written novels that include this subject. I guess I should also say thanks to her publisher. Just because we turn retirement age doesn’t mean we stopped living or doing interesting things. There are stories galore out here in the retirement world that are waiting to be written. As Albert discovered, even romance is alive and well among retirees.
I am a fan of Jean Davies Okimoto’s writings. I was very honored when she asked me to read and review her new book. The minute I received it I started reading and, of course, I love it. Then I started reading it again. Albert Paugh climbed into my head and then my heart. I have already recommended The Reinvention of Albert Paugh to my retired friends that I meet face to face, and now I suggest you read it too. You might also like the author’s two previous books also set on Vashon Island: Walter’s Muse and The Love Ceiling
Now, months after the sale, Al finds himself making a daily trip back toward his old clinic. He crouches down in his car and spies on the new owner. He spots the new guy doing things he would never do. Al has big regrets about his decision to leave the clinic.
On top of that now Albert’s marriage is over. He has to sell his house and move. This puts Albert alone for the first time in decades. This accumulation of events could push Al into a deep depression, but fortunately for Albert, he has some great friends and neighbors and a wonderful companion in his loyal, fun-loving dog, Bert. Albert learns that it’s not too late to “reinvent” himself.
Traveling beside Albert as he reinvents himself was a fun and interesting experience. He has a good group of friends accompanying him, some of whom I’d met before in the two previous Vashon Island books. A nice surprise for me, I loved Albert’s dog. I’m not a big dog person, but I think I could be one if I had Bert. He was the best non-speaking character in the story! (Actually, he communicates beautifully without words.)
Almost every retired person I know has a well-developed philosophy about retirement. It is one of our favorite topics. We observe our fellow retirees, we analyze them and then spend hours kibitzing about them (and, of course, with them -ha).
Some retirees jump right in and embrace their retirement with gusto. They behave as if they are on repeated two-week vacations. But, there are many more who feel somewhat adrift. After all, their identity, their job has just gone away. Who are they now? Many retirees find they, just like Albert, must re-identify or reinvent themselves. It’s my opinion that they don’t successfully do it alone. It takes friends, family and, in the case of retirees who move away from “home,” a new community of friends and family to make it happen.
Jean Davies OkimotoI’m so glad Jean Davies Okimoto has written novels that include this subject. I guess I should also say thanks to her publisher. Just because we turn retirement age doesn’t mean we stopped living or doing interesting things. There are stories galore out here in the retirement world that are waiting to be written. As Albert discovered, even romance is alive and well among retirees.
I am a fan of Jean Davies Okimoto’s writings. I was very honored when she asked me to read and review her new book. The minute I received it I started reading and, of course, I love it. Then I started reading it again. Albert Paugh climbed into my head and then my heart. I have already recommended The Reinvention of Albert Paugh to my retired friends that I meet face to face, and now I suggest you read it too. You might also like the author’s two previous books also set on Vashon Island: Walter’s Muse and The Love Ceiling
November 24, 2015
4.5 stars
Originally posted on: http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com...
The Reinvention of Albert Paugh by Jean Davies Okimoto will most definitely make my favorites list this year! It is a delightful novel that left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling inside and I so loved it and its quirky characters that have taken up a place in my heart.
Dr. Albert Paugh is having a tough time in the last year or so. To begin with he’s flunking being retired. Who does that? Albert had been a vet living on the quaint Vashon Island for more years than he can count but a heart attack and his wife’s cancer prompted him into retirement and now he has absolutely no idea what to do with himself. To top that his wife announces one day that she wants a divorce and she’s leaving him to live with her friend. How much can one guy take? Since his wife had owned the house and she’s selling it Albert rents a cottage on Baker’s Beach. He and his dog Bert visit with friends but Albert essentially just feels lost until he meets Bonnie, a widow renting a cottage across the way from him. What he feels when he’s with Bonnie is so much different than with his ex wife – he feels loved and accepted. Even better she loves dogs. Still Albert needs to find some way to reinvent himself in order to feel good about himself and this later part of his life. The question is what will fulfill him in such a way …
As I was reading I fell in love with Albert Paugh and his dog Bert. It doesn’t matter that he’s quite a bit older than me and a fictional character – I adored him. He’s such a kind, sweet man and his love for his dog, really for any animals, made him all the more attractive. It was so cute because you see this quite often when an older gentleman becomes a widow or divorced there are women coming out of the woodwork and Albert had no shortage of women trying to get his attention. Yet Albert was more comfortable with his dog than most people and that came from a traumatic experience in his childhood and even into his being an adult and his wife not accepting him as he was.
I really felt for Albert and I think many people will relate to him and his story. As for a bookclub pick I think this would be a great selection especially if you have a group of people that are up there in age a bit. There are a multitude of topics to discuss like retirement, divorce, pets, new love in later life, and just the need to feel loved and accepted as we move through our lives. And the big one … it’s never too late to start again or to find love.
I can’t recommend this book strongly enough. It’s such a heartwarming and beautiful story and if you love animals you will love Albert. I could see myself and my own intense love for my dogs in so many parts of this story. Once again I highly recommend The Reinvention of Albert Paugh. You might want a box of tissues – not because anything bad happens – just because if you’re anything like me you cry just because! Loved it – lots!
Originally posted on: http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com...
The Reinvention of Albert Paugh by Jean Davies Okimoto will most definitely make my favorites list this year! It is a delightful novel that left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling inside and I so loved it and its quirky characters that have taken up a place in my heart.
Dr. Albert Paugh is having a tough time in the last year or so. To begin with he’s flunking being retired. Who does that? Albert had been a vet living on the quaint Vashon Island for more years than he can count but a heart attack and his wife’s cancer prompted him into retirement and now he has absolutely no idea what to do with himself. To top that his wife announces one day that she wants a divorce and she’s leaving him to live with her friend. How much can one guy take? Since his wife had owned the house and she’s selling it Albert rents a cottage on Baker’s Beach. He and his dog Bert visit with friends but Albert essentially just feels lost until he meets Bonnie, a widow renting a cottage across the way from him. What he feels when he’s with Bonnie is so much different than with his ex wife – he feels loved and accepted. Even better she loves dogs. Still Albert needs to find some way to reinvent himself in order to feel good about himself and this later part of his life. The question is what will fulfill him in such a way …
As I was reading I fell in love with Albert Paugh and his dog Bert. It doesn’t matter that he’s quite a bit older than me and a fictional character – I adored him. He’s such a kind, sweet man and his love for his dog, really for any animals, made him all the more attractive. It was so cute because you see this quite often when an older gentleman becomes a widow or divorced there are women coming out of the woodwork and Albert had no shortage of women trying to get his attention. Yet Albert was more comfortable with his dog than most people and that came from a traumatic experience in his childhood and even into his being an adult and his wife not accepting him as he was.
I really felt for Albert and I think many people will relate to him and his story. As for a bookclub pick I think this would be a great selection especially if you have a group of people that are up there in age a bit. There are a multitude of topics to discuss like retirement, divorce, pets, new love in later life, and just the need to feel loved and accepted as we move through our lives. And the big one … it’s never too late to start again or to find love.
I can’t recommend this book strongly enough. It’s such a heartwarming and beautiful story and if you love animals you will love Albert. I could see myself and my own intense love for my dogs in so many parts of this story. Once again I highly recommend The Reinvention of Albert Paugh. You might want a box of tissues – not because anything bad happens – just because if you’re anything like me you cry just because! Loved it – lots!
August 29, 2015
Dr. Albert Paugh is begrudgingly retired, heading for divorce, and has no idea what to do with the remaining years of his life. After selling his veterinary practice and caring for his wife of 24 years through her cancer treatments, she recovers and tells Al that she wants a divorce; their marriage lacked passion and was too polite. For Al, the news is unexpected, but being the mild-tempered man that he is, he accepts her decision and sets off to figure out what to do with his days now that he’s lost his practice, his wife, and subsequently his house.
If you think The Reinvention of Albert Paugh by Jean Davies Okimoto sounds depressing, you’d be right in thinking so, only you’d be wrong. Sure, the premise is sad, but the story itself is uplifting and follows Al and his chocolate lab, Bert, as he bumbles through the days trying to make sense of his past, his marriage, and his future. He rents a small cottage on a nearby beach and ingratiates himself with the neighbors, finding solace and inspiration in some of the most unexpected people. The more he gets to know them (and one woman in particular), he realizes that perhaps his wife was right in that he was dispassionate, but then again he was a veterinarian who married a woman who didn’t like dogs, so perhaps the signs were there all along. Luckily, his new lease on life brings some wonderful people and experiences into his life and he realizes that perhaps retirement doesn’t have to be all that miserable.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
If you think The Reinvention of Albert Paugh by Jean Davies Okimoto sounds depressing, you’d be right in thinking so, only you’d be wrong. Sure, the premise is sad, but the story itself is uplifting and follows Al and his chocolate lab, Bert, as he bumbles through the days trying to make sense of his past, his marriage, and his future. He rents a small cottage on a nearby beach and ingratiates himself with the neighbors, finding solace and inspiration in some of the most unexpected people. The more he gets to know them (and one woman in particular), he realizes that perhaps his wife was right in that he was dispassionate, but then again he was a veterinarian who married a woman who didn’t like dogs, so perhaps the signs were there all along. Luckily, his new lease on life brings some wonderful people and experiences into his life and he realizes that perhaps retirement doesn’t have to be all that miserable.
For the full review, visit The Book Wheel.
August 30, 2015
The Reinvention of Albert Paugh is such a lovely read. I immediately liked Al, a recently retired veterinarian, and Bert, his loyal chocolate Lab. Al is at loose ends after retirement, and even more so when his wife suddenly and unexpectedly wants a divorce.
This is the story of how Al - and Bert, of course - move on to a new place and a new life. The story is told with warmth, humor, and a disarmingly realistic tone.
The descriptions of everything in this novel are so detailed and perfect. Al describes a trip to the beach: "The early morning showers had left rain-washed sunlight, a lemony light that filled this golden day of autumn. It was so beautiful and the air was so crisp, the kind of fall day that always made Al think of the first football game."
Then there are wry, unexpected observations like: "Al experienced all animals as sentient beings and often felt Bert was almost human until he saw the delight Bert took in rolling in rotten dead stuff."
Jean Davies Okimoto has a gift for distinct and creative characters. This includes some fine dialogue that really builds the story and moves the story along. I loved the way the story of Al and Bonnie unfolded. These are characters that I cared about, and enjoyed getting to know in this book.
I did not know what to expect from a novel about a retiree living on Vashon Island, slowly building a new life for himself. I'm so glad I took a chance on this unique and distinctive novel. I recommend it highly to dog lovers, readers interested in life in the Pacific Northwest, and anyone who loves warm, compassionate fiction.
This is the story of how Al - and Bert, of course - move on to a new place and a new life. The story is told with warmth, humor, and a disarmingly realistic tone.
The descriptions of everything in this novel are so detailed and perfect. Al describes a trip to the beach: "The early morning showers had left rain-washed sunlight, a lemony light that filled this golden day of autumn. It was so beautiful and the air was so crisp, the kind of fall day that always made Al think of the first football game."
Then there are wry, unexpected observations like: "Al experienced all animals as sentient beings and often felt Bert was almost human until he saw the delight Bert took in rolling in rotten dead stuff."
Jean Davies Okimoto has a gift for distinct and creative characters. This includes some fine dialogue that really builds the story and moves the story along. I loved the way the story of Al and Bonnie unfolded. These are characters that I cared about, and enjoyed getting to know in this book.
I did not know what to expect from a novel about a retiree living on Vashon Island, slowly building a new life for himself. I'm so glad I took a chance on this unique and distinctive novel. I recommend it highly to dog lovers, readers interested in life in the Pacific Northwest, and anyone who loves warm, compassionate fiction.
August 26, 2015
The Reinvention of Albert Paugh is a sweet story about a man in his 60s who is failing at retirement. I thought it was a cute story and something that would be a good read on a rainy day. Al is a retired veterinarian who has just finished nursing his wife through lung cancer. He is regretting his decision to retire and sell his business when his wife drops a bomb on him. She wants a divorce because she wants a different life. Suddenly, Al is at a crossroads; not sure what to do with himself.
As I said, this was a sweet story about a man who is trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. If you ask me, he was better off without Eleanor. She was holding him back! I liked how the small community embraced him. I also loved watching his friendship with Bonnie grow. That was very endearing. I was rooting for Al to find his way. I kind of felt bad for him as single women threw themselves at him once they found out he was single. It was cute that he was kind of clueless.
I haven't read the first two books in this series. I honestly don't think it matters as the book stood up well as a stand alone. As I said, it's a cute story and worth checking out.
As I said, this was a sweet story about a man who is trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life. If you ask me, he was better off without Eleanor. She was holding him back! I liked how the small community embraced him. I also loved watching his friendship with Bonnie grow. That was very endearing. I was rooting for Al to find his way. I kind of felt bad for him as single women threw themselves at him once they found out he was single. It was cute that he was kind of clueless.
I haven't read the first two books in this series. I honestly don't think it matters as the book stood up well as a stand alone. As I said, it's a cute story and worth checking out.
November 22, 2015
This book by a local author was recommended by Karla and Time Enough Books and I am so glad she did.
This should be required reading for everyone about to, or who have already, retired. No it is not a "help me" book but rather a well written humorous tale of a retired veterinarian on Vashon Island.
I enjoyed every page, and like I said if you are a retired person you should read, so good that I whipped through it in 2 days. Full of so many of those lovely quotes that you want to post all over your Facebook pages.
This should be required reading for everyone about to, or who have already, retired. No it is not a "help me" book but rather a well written humorous tale of a retired veterinarian on Vashon Island.
I enjoyed every page, and like I said if you are a retired person you should read, so good that I whipped through it in 2 days. Full of so many of those lovely quotes that you want to post all over your Facebook pages.
December 22, 2015
This is a rather unusual love story considering the ages and stages of the couple. I enjoyed the way the author kept the reader inside the main character's mind, experiencing the dark thoughts, the insecurities, and the vast array of vulnerabilities as well as the joys and triumphs. I could really relate to the roller coaster ride of emotions he experienced. Watching him face these vulnerabilities, struggle (not always with success) to over come them, and finally to embrace the realness and rawness of life made him seem more real than fiction. This story is great. I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews