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Trailer Dogs: Life in America's New Middle Class
Trailer Dogs is the profoundly profane, hysterically funny, yet often poignant, story of survival in today’s near-extinct Middle Class. After losing their small business and life savings to the government’s unfathomable shutdown, the author and her husband are forced to sell their home and move into a travel trailer. Still reeling from financial loss and the deaths of two of their beloved dogs, the pair embark on a new life in a trailer park, populated with some of the most unconventional characters you’d ever hope not to meet. There’s Gretchen, the park’s unsympathetic and conniving manager, and her puny, perverted husband, Lloyd, who “maintains” the park grounds and who gives pool algae a bad name. Daisy and Lonnie May are the author’s closest neighbors, and are, perhaps, the park’s most devoted couple. Only Daisy May happens to be Lonnie’s dog. Trailer Dogs will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even a little angry. But it will never make you bored.
255 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 27, 2016
150 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Ellen Garrison
3 books2 followersEllen Garrison, a life-long dog lover and enthusiastic supporter of animal rescue groups, lives with her husband and two dog kids in a 29-foot travel trailer in the southwestern US. Trailer Dogs is her first book about starting over in a society formerly known as the “American Middle Class.”
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 11, 2023
If the American Dream turns into a nightmare, at least you can get a book out of it.
This is a very funny, sometimes hilariously funny, account of the author's life in a run-down trailer park. It's located in a hot, dusty place (Texas?) and has a full complement of wack-o neighbors and a manager with all the charm of a pit bull with a toothache. It's very entertaining in the harsh, take-no-prisoners, shock-jock style of humor popular with young folks now.
The author and her husband owned a business and were living large when the business failed and they lost their home and became trailer-dwellers. She blames the business-failure on greedy government honchos and greedy corporate honchos and greedy people in general.
She takes no responsibility for the failure of their business or for their financial problems. None. At all. She never explains why they must live in the awful trailer when her husband is employed and she could be. Let's say the story has gaps and leave it at that.
The book has a lot going for it, starting with the fact that she has some great stories to tell and tells them well. It's impossible not to keep reading and find out what happens to her loony neighbors, even though you know it won't be anything good and it never is. She loves dogs and takes in strays and her tales of her pets and what they've meant to her are sweet and heart-felt.
So why am I not more enthusiastic about it? I'm still trying to figure that out myself.
It's not the constant profanity, which doesn't really bother me. It's not the bashing of Canadians. I've liked the ones I've known, but I figure they can take care of themselves.
I was put off by her insisting on calling her husband "My Old Man" because that's how trailer trash talks, right? Wrong. Where you live doesn't define you unless you let it. Intelligent, classy people live in all kinds of housing for all kinds of reasons.
She rightfully criticizes her neighbors for stereotyping Hispanics and other ethnic groups, but her whole book is a stereotype. Are insults OK now if you're just joking? Besides, it got old after a while.
There are people who turn their backs on materialism and I always love hearing their stories and admire them. There are people who take a hit (blamelessly or otherwise) and face it courageously and philosophically. I admire their attitude and wish them the best. Happiness isn't a location, but a state of mind.
The plain fact is that bitter books by bitter people leave a bitter taste in my mouth. Even if they're well-written (which this is.) Even if they have great stories (which this does.) Even if I understand that the author has gone through a tough time (which she did.) Unrelieved bitterness is depressing and it's hard to feel sorry for someone who's spending so much time feeling sorry for herself. Maybe she could back off a bit and let the reader do some of the work for her.
It's an entertaining read with some funny stories and some hilarious ones. I think the author has a good heart and I hope she's happier than she sounds. As old Abe Lincoln said, "A man's as happy as he decides to be." That goes for women, too.
<
This is a very funny, sometimes hilariously funny, account of the author's life in a run-down trailer park. It's located in a hot, dusty place (Texas?) and has a full complement of wack-o neighbors and a manager with all the charm of a pit bull with a toothache. It's very entertaining in the harsh, take-no-prisoners, shock-jock style of humor popular with young folks now.
The author and her husband owned a business and were living large when the business failed and they lost their home and became trailer-dwellers. She blames the business-failure on greedy government honchos and greedy corporate honchos and greedy people in general.
She takes no responsibility for the failure of their business or for their financial problems. None. At all. She never explains why they must live in the awful trailer when her husband is employed and she could be. Let's say the story has gaps and leave it at that.
The book has a lot going for it, starting with the fact that she has some great stories to tell and tells them well. It's impossible not to keep reading and find out what happens to her loony neighbors, even though you know it won't be anything good and it never is. She loves dogs and takes in strays and her tales of her pets and what they've meant to her are sweet and heart-felt.
So why am I not more enthusiastic about it? I'm still trying to figure that out myself.
It's not the constant profanity, which doesn't really bother me. It's not the bashing of Canadians. I've liked the ones I've known, but I figure they can take care of themselves.
I was put off by her insisting on calling her husband "My Old Man" because that's how trailer trash talks, right? Wrong. Where you live doesn't define you unless you let it. Intelligent, classy people live in all kinds of housing for all kinds of reasons.
She rightfully criticizes her neighbors for stereotyping Hispanics and other ethnic groups, but her whole book is a stereotype. Are insults OK now if you're just joking? Besides, it got old after a while.
There are people who turn their backs on materialism and I always love hearing their stories and admire them. There are people who take a hit (blamelessly or otherwise) and face it courageously and philosophically. I admire their attitude and wish them the best. Happiness isn't a location, but a state of mind.
The plain fact is that bitter books by bitter people leave a bitter taste in my mouth. Even if they're well-written (which this is.) Even if they have great stories (which this does.) Even if I understand that the author has gone through a tough time (which she did.) Unrelieved bitterness is depressing and it's hard to feel sorry for someone who's spending so much time feeling sorry for herself. Maybe she could back off a bit and let the reader do some of the work for her.
It's an entertaining read with some funny stories and some hilarious ones. I think the author has a good heart and I hope she's happier than she sounds. As old Abe Lincoln said, "A man's as happy as he decides to be." That goes for women, too.
<
September 12, 2016
I loved this book!!!!!!
What an hysterical sense of humor the author has. What a point of view. And what irreverence for just about everything from current presidential hopefuls to Oprah to life in a trailer park. She explains her fall from grace as a good middle class entrepreneur providing products to the federal government until it's long shutdown and her subsequent downsizing from huge home and acreage to a travel trailer. It's funny and dare I say it -- I pissed myself walking to the bathroom with uncontrollable giggling after reading about her and her sister's penchant for pissing themselves when finding humor in various rude human noises. The author is a scream as are the various other inhabitants of her new world. An interesting peek into an alternative world we can probably all recognize.
What an hysterical sense of humor the author has. What a point of view. And what irreverence for just about everything from current presidential hopefuls to Oprah to life in a trailer park. She explains her fall from grace as a good middle class entrepreneur providing products to the federal government until it's long shutdown and her subsequent downsizing from huge home and acreage to a travel trailer. It's funny and dare I say it -- I pissed myself walking to the bathroom with uncontrollable giggling after reading about her and her sister's penchant for pissing themselves when finding humor in various rude human noises. The author is a scream as are the various other inhabitants of her new world. An interesting peek into an alternative world we can probably all recognize.
August 29, 2016
When life takes an unexpected turn, author Ellen Garrison, her husband, and their pups strap up and do what it takes to survive the ride. After selling their house and taking up company in a community of fellow fifth-wheelers, she shares an unfiltered and hilarious view of her community.
Her story will make you cry, laugh, and - most importantly - think. While her honesty about the "neighborhood" will at times leave you shocked and disappointed with fellow humans, her tale carries with it a bright and ultimately uplifting underlining.
A good read all in one go or parsed into stand-alone chapters, this book is an easy and fulfilling read.
Her story will make you cry, laugh, and - most importantly - think. While her honesty about the "neighborhood" will at times leave you shocked and disappointed with fellow humans, her tale carries with it a bright and ultimately uplifting underlining.
A good read all in one go or parsed into stand-alone chapters, this book is an easy and fulfilling read.
April 17, 2017
Loved it!
Unconventional and enormously humorous. I had so many good laughs reading Trailer Dogs. I can't remember having so much fun reading a book. Ellen is a very good writer and she really made the trailer park (excuse me "resort") and all of its interesting characters come to life. The language that some reviewers complained about was totally appropriate, in my opinion, for the character of this book. Read it and weep -- laughing!
Unconventional and enormously humorous. I had so many good laughs reading Trailer Dogs. I can't remember having so much fun reading a book. Ellen is a very good writer and she really made the trailer park (excuse me "resort") and all of its interesting characters come to life. The language that some reviewers complained about was totally appropriate, in my opinion, for the character of this book. Read it and weep -- laughing!
October 2, 2018
At first I hated it, I couldn't get used to her foul language and it read like a long Facebook status. Then I kinda got into it and I liked how she is an equal opportunity politician hater. They do the wrong thing and get wealthy at our expense. This turned out to be a rather funny take on trailer life, an angry Erma Bombeck. I liked it.
August 11, 2019
Trailer Dogs 1
I laughed so very hard! (But no pee) Ellen hits the nail on the head every time. In my house I have three rescue dogs, three rescue cats, and my husband is a diehard MAGA. (I am a liberal democrat). I think I should write a book!
I laughed so very hard! (But no pee) Ellen hits the nail on the head every time. In my house I have three rescue dogs, three rescue cats, and my husband is a diehard MAGA. (I am a liberal democrat). I think I should write a book!
March 9, 2018
Hilarious! Couldn't decide which one of Ms. Garrison's books (this one, Trailer Dogs, or Revenge of the Trailer Dogs) I like better, so I bought 'em both & I strongly advise you to do the same.
July 22, 2018
5 stars
Better to laugh out loud than cry and wallow in the misfortunes of life. I found this authors style inspiring and at the same time, hilarious. Will read her next books too.
Better to laugh out loud than cry and wallow in the misfortunes of life. I found this authors style inspiring and at the same time, hilarious. Will read her next books too.
June 3, 2017
this is one of the worst books i have ever read!!!
September 8, 2017
True garbage
Not my. Genre! Trash. I want it off my tablet. I thought it a waste off knowledge. If you like low level living , you might like it.
Not my. Genre! Trash. I want it off my tablet. I thought it a waste off knowledge. If you like low level living , you might like it.
October 25, 2017
I bought this book because I thought it would be funny and relaxing to read. Instead it is a bunch of gibberish that the author is passing off as a book.
Read
July 29, 2017This was not great writing, but the tone was kinda fun anyway. It was brainless to read before bed and it wasn't one of those "I can't put this down" books I can't read before bed.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews