What do you think?
Rate this book
To Dance With the White Dog
A moving story of love, grief, and coming to terms with death. To Dance With the White Dog is Terry Kay's stunning and unforgettable fourth novel. It is a gentle, moving story about an old man's final rite of passage, about family ties and the universal experience of grieving for a lost love. At the heart of the book is a mysterious white dog which appears after Sam Peek's belove wife has just died and stays with him until just before his own death. Stray dog or phantom? To Sam, the dog is a guardian angel that bridges his final years with warmth and comfort. Sam Peek and his white dog will leap from the pages and into the reader's heart instantly. And the ending of the book is touching, amazing, and delightful all in one.
281 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1990
572 people are currently reading
6240 people want to read
About the author
Terry Kay
59 books107 followersTERRY KAY, a 2006 inductee into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame, is the author of The Book of Marie, recently released by Mercer University Press. Kay has been a sports writer and film/theater reviewer (Atlanta Journal-Constitution), a public relations executive, and a corporate officer. He is the author of nine other published novels, including To Dance with the White Dog, The Valley of Light, Taking Lottie Home, The Kidnapping of Aaron Greene, Shadow Song, The Runaway, Dark Thirty, After Eli, and The Year the Lights Came On, as well as a book of essays (Special K) and a childrens book (To Whom the Angel Spoke)."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 643 reviews
July 28, 2017
Quite simply, this is one of my favorite novels of all time, and one that I've reread at least a dozen times. It tells the story of an elderly widower, who's befriended by a dog that no one else ever sees, a dog that helps him through his loneliness. Warm and touching, it's a novel that people of all ages can enjoy.
September 12, 2022
A bittersweet tale of love and loss, life and death, made even more poignant by the fact that I (unintentionally) read it only days after the author's passing (he died on 12 December). I know that this is a favourite book of many readers and I can understand why. For me, it would have worked better had it been 30 or 40 pages shorter, but it's nevertheless a fantastic read, and one I'd recommend to anyone.
September 13, 2012
TO DANCE WITH THE WHITE DOG by Terry Kay is one of those books that I know I'll continue to read every few years for the rest of my life. All that he can fit into less than two hundred pages leaves me and every other reader of this book breathless and crying a mix of tears from joy and sadness.
TO DANCE WITH THE WHITE DOG primarily concerns itself with an elderly man, Sam Peek, who is a man in his early eighties that has recently suffered the loss of his wife of fifty-seven years, Cora. Once a strong man in his prime he is now reduced to having his nagging children try to accomplish all his task for him. Alone and bothered by his children Sam finds White Dog and takes the reader on a beautiful, magical journey into the heart of a man who knows his time on earth is ending.
I'm twenty-five as of the writing of this review and I've read this book three times, all in my twenties. As I said previously I know this is one I'll continue to read every couple of years for the rest of my life. The journey of Sam Peek, his children, White Dog, and the corner of North-East Georgia they call home is timeless and quality for the soul. Terry Kay was already a master craftsman before TO DANCE WITH THE WHITE DOG. With this book, however, he cemented himself firmly in the place of great southern writers. Pat Conroy could only hope to write a novel that contained as much meat in so few pages.
TO DANCE WITH THE WHITE DOG primarily concerns itself with an elderly man, Sam Peek, who is a man in his early eighties that has recently suffered the loss of his wife of fifty-seven years, Cora. Once a strong man in his prime he is now reduced to having his nagging children try to accomplish all his task for him. Alone and bothered by his children Sam finds White Dog and takes the reader on a beautiful, magical journey into the heart of a man who knows his time on earth is ending.
I'm twenty-five as of the writing of this review and I've read this book three times, all in my twenties. As I said previously I know this is one I'll continue to read every couple of years for the rest of my life. The journey of Sam Peek, his children, White Dog, and the corner of North-East Georgia they call home is timeless and quality for the soul. Terry Kay was already a master craftsman before TO DANCE WITH THE WHITE DOG. With this book, however, he cemented himself firmly in the place of great southern writers. Pat Conroy could only hope to write a novel that contained as much meat in so few pages.
April 30, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A very delightful story even better listening to the audiobook.
A very delightful story even better listening to the audiobook.
February 24, 2025
An easy 5 shiny stars rating from me! 💫💫💫💫💫
Oh my goodness! Such a beautiful treasure of a story! I absolutely loved every second of it 💛!
This story takes place in Georgia and Sam, the main character, is a sweetheart! He's 81 years old and his lovely wife just passed away. After 57 years of marriage, he's alone. Neelie, who has been working with him and his wife, is a funny person! She makes sure that his children go to take care of Sam. Soon, Sam sees a white dog on his front porch liking up grease. Sam thinks he must be a stray and takes him in. The funny thing is that no one else sees white dog. Eventually, two of his daughters see him dancing with white dog!
This story is true!! It's a story of love, family, devotion a pure heart felt delight! I very highly recommend this emotionally moving book to everyone!!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 🤍🤍
Oh my goodness! Such a beautiful treasure of a story! I absolutely loved every second of it 💛!
This story takes place in Georgia and Sam, the main character, is a sweetheart! He's 81 years old and his lovely wife just passed away. After 57 years of marriage, he's alone. Neelie, who has been working with him and his wife, is a funny person! She makes sure that his children go to take care of Sam. Soon, Sam sees a white dog on his front porch liking up grease. Sam thinks he must be a stray and takes him in. The funny thing is that no one else sees white dog. Eventually, two of his daughters see him dancing with white dog!
This story is true!! It's a story of love, family, devotion a pure heart felt delight! I very highly recommend this emotionally moving book to everyone!!!
Enjoy and Happy Reading 🤍🤍
May 20, 2012
Terry Kay is a very gifted story teller; I saw the made for TV movie years ago but I am so glad that I read the book. The story is more complex than the movie could convey; dog lovers will love this book. It is based on Terry Kay's parents and is a remarkable account of two people who loved each other. The sentences are simple but elegant and I could see each character in my head including the white dog.
February 3, 2013
Beautifully written, poignant tale about a man finishing the remainder of his well-lived life without his wife of 57 years. As someone who lost both my parents in my early and late teens, I never got to experience them as an adult. I tend to enjoy stories that explore the relationships between adult children and their elderly parents.
This is a novel that begs to be read again and again, with the heartache and hope being just as vivid, just as visceral each time.
This is a novel that begs to be read again and again, with the heartache and hope being just as vivid, just as visceral each time.
December 13, 2022
کم پیش میاد کتابی تماما از دیدگاه یه فرد مسن باشه. افراد مسن کوهی از تجربه و زندگی هستند و تفکرشون با جوانترها متفاوته و درکشون برای هر فردی لازمه.
فقدان و مرگ عزیزان که معمولا در سنین بالا اجتنابناپذیره، موضوع اصلی کتابه و سگی سفید که نمادی زیبا برای جبران فقدانه.
کتاب ملیح و دلنشینی بود و توی این روزای سخت، کمی مرهم بر روی اتفاقات تلخ بود.
فقدان و مرگ عزیزان که معمولا در سنین بالا اجتنابناپذیره، موضوع اصلی کتابه و سگی سفید که نمادی زیبا برای جبران فقدانه.
کتاب ملیح و دلنشینی بود و توی این روزای سخت، کمی مرهم بر روی اتفاقات تلخ بود.
November 16, 2013
I loved reading this book. It is about family caring with all the silliness and loveliness that accompanies it. The author does a good job of writing believably. Here's a sample:
"...they would praise the departed by reciting (and embellishing) some small, special story out of memory. The dead had been good, or the dead had been mischievous or thrifty or strong or shy or outrageous or brave or jovial or any of countless other attributes that, given forgiveness for shortcomings, made for a likeable person. That was the common agreement among them: the dead had been likeable, and in their front-porch, rocking-chair eulogies, the men who remained--waiting their turn to be likeable--momentarily elevated the deceased to a rare, but impermanent history."
I'm 72 years old so, while I'm not quite as slowed down as Sam Peek, this story hit pretty close to home. But it was a happy hit because I related to Sam in many ways. While I, like him, hope to go quickly when the time comes, I hope also that if that hope is not realized, as it was not for Sam, I will go with the grace that he (and my father) exhibited, while I await my turn to be likeable.
"...they would praise the departed by reciting (and embellishing) some small, special story out of memory. The dead had been good, or the dead had been mischievous or thrifty or strong or shy or outrageous or brave or jovial or any of countless other attributes that, given forgiveness for shortcomings, made for a likeable person. That was the common agreement among them: the dead had been likeable, and in their front-porch, rocking-chair eulogies, the men who remained--waiting their turn to be likeable--momentarily elevated the deceased to a rare, but impermanent history."
I'm 72 years old so, while I'm not quite as slowed down as Sam Peek, this story hit pretty close to home. But it was a happy hit because I related to Sam in many ways. While I, like him, hope to go quickly when the time comes, I hope also that if that hope is not realized, as it was not for Sam, I will go with the grace that he (and my father) exhibited, while I await my turn to be likeable.
April 4, 2013
A Profoundly Beautiful Short Novel Filled With Insights About Life, Loss, Mystery And Hope! Not To Be Missed!
To Dance With The White Dog is one of the most beautifully written, poignant, tender, memorable, albeit at times heartbraking, books I've read in quite some time. While short in length, the book, to quote the Los Angeles Times, "moves like poetry...is a loving eulogy to old age...and is a tender celebration of life, made poignant by death so close at hand."
I won't describe the book's plot (which is actually based on the author's own parents life and death story), but I will say that in telling this story Terry Kay has created characters that will live on in your memory. They will touch you in ways that will make you wish you knew them in real life, and will have you thinking carefully about how you are dealing with/have dealt with or plan to deal with your own situations with elderly relatives you love dearly. Be aware that although a dog is a central component of the plot (hence the title) this is not a "dog book" such as A Dog's Purpose or The Art Of Dancing In The Rain might be considered.
In my opinion, To Dance With The White Dog, being only a 163 pages in length (in my ebook edition) will more than satisfy your need for a beautifully well-written book. It will also help you develop insights into how an elderly parent looks at life and the prospect of their own death after the recent loss of a spouse. Further, it will help you develop insights into how well the children of an elderly parent who has lost their spouse think they understand their remaining parent's ability to function on their own (i.e., without their children thinking they have to take on the role of becoming the parents to their parent).
To Dance With The White Dog is one of the most beautifully written, poignant, tender, memorable, albeit at times heartbraking, books I've read in quite some time. While short in length, the book, to quote the Los Angeles Times, "moves like poetry...is a loving eulogy to old age...and is a tender celebration of life, made poignant by death so close at hand."
I won't describe the book's plot (which is actually based on the author's own parents life and death story), but I will say that in telling this story Terry Kay has created characters that will live on in your memory. They will touch you in ways that will make you wish you knew them in real life, and will have you thinking carefully about how you are dealing with/have dealt with or plan to deal with your own situations with elderly relatives you love dearly. Be aware that although a dog is a central component of the plot (hence the title) this is not a "dog book" such as A Dog's Purpose or The Art Of Dancing In The Rain might be considered.
In my opinion, To Dance With The White Dog, being only a 163 pages in length (in my ebook edition) will more than satisfy your need for a beautifully well-written book. It will also help you develop insights into how an elderly parent looks at life and the prospect of their own death after the recent loss of a spouse. Further, it will help you develop insights into how well the children of an elderly parent who has lost their spouse think they understand their remaining parent's ability to function on their own (i.e., without their children thinking they have to take on the role of becoming the parents to their parent).
October 23, 2022
I heard of this book as it is on Wesley Banks '100 best dog books of all time' (2022). I put off reading it because of the ugly cover. As I was making my way through the other books on his list, (I think this makes like 57 out of the 100), I decided to tackle this one.
I saw some people rate it pretty high and there is even a review from Nicholas Sparks saying 'Quite simply, this is one of my favorite novels of all time, and one that I've reread at least a dozen times.' So I was pretty hopeful. I let that hope push me past the first 4 chapters that I didn't find that interesting.
Ultimately, the book never went anywhere that was that interesting to me. As the summary tells you, this book is about the (end) cycle of life stuff. It says, "The beloved bestselling story of an elderly man mourning the death of his wife and the mysterious white dog who helps ease his grief." Not sure where the 'beloved' comes in, but it is about an elderly man and includes a mysterious white dog. If you really like dramas, you may really like this book. It has very rich details on him and his thoughts, and his children's attempts to take care for him. I get this, as I am getting pretty old, and my father is getting even older still. It does make me ponder my father, my wife, and ultimately my own ends, but still not really a topic that is that exciting for me.
The dog to me was mostly hype. I don't want to spoil the mystery by giving much away here, but to me also didn't go somewhere that greatly interesting. The author had some fun playing with the mystery though, but the book overall didn't really do enough with a dog to make it a 'dog' book I would recommend.
The idea of a ghost dog is fun though. Here is one passage that I found fun:
“I seen ghost dogs,” she asserted. “Them dogs don’t bark. Don’t never know where they be hiding. You be looking at a ghost dog and you blink your eyes and they gone. Ghost dogs always coming around when somebody passes on. Babies, your daddy’s gone changed on account of that ghost dog. Where that dog now? That dog ain’t nowhere around. That dog with your daddy. That dog done took Mr. Sam off somewheres.”
So if you like richly detailed dramas you may really like this book. I found it similar as something like The Story of Edgar Sawtelle which also had rich detailed writing but I didn't care to where it finally ended, this book could be for you. But if you are looking for a good 'dog' book, there is a lot more I would recommend.
I saw some people rate it pretty high and there is even a review from Nicholas Sparks saying 'Quite simply, this is one of my favorite novels of all time, and one that I've reread at least a dozen times.' So I was pretty hopeful. I let that hope push me past the first 4 chapters that I didn't find that interesting.
Ultimately, the book never went anywhere that was that interesting to me. As the summary tells you, this book is about the (end) cycle of life stuff. It says, "The beloved bestselling story of an elderly man mourning the death of his wife and the mysterious white dog who helps ease his grief." Not sure where the 'beloved' comes in, but it is about an elderly man and includes a mysterious white dog. If you really like dramas, you may really like this book. It has very rich details on him and his thoughts, and his children's attempts to take care for him. I get this, as I am getting pretty old, and my father is getting even older still. It does make me ponder my father, my wife, and ultimately my own ends, but still not really a topic that is that exciting for me.
The dog to me was mostly hype. I don't want to spoil the mystery by giving much away here, but to me also didn't go somewhere that greatly interesting. The author had some fun playing with the mystery though, but the book overall didn't really do enough with a dog to make it a 'dog' book I would recommend.
The idea of a ghost dog is fun though. Here is one passage that I found fun:
“I seen ghost dogs,” she asserted. “Them dogs don’t bark. Don’t never know where they be hiding. You be looking at a ghost dog and you blink your eyes and they gone. Ghost dogs always coming around when somebody passes on. Babies, your daddy’s gone changed on account of that ghost dog. Where that dog now? That dog ain’t nowhere around. That dog with your daddy. That dog done took Mr. Sam off somewheres.”
So if you like richly detailed dramas you may really like this book. I found it similar as something like The Story of Edgar Sawtelle which also had rich detailed writing but I didn't care to where it finally ended, this book could be for you. But if you are looking for a good 'dog' book, there is a lot more I would recommend.
April 18, 2021
3.5 stars
A beautiful yet simple story about coming to terms with the death of loved ones.
A beautiful yet simple story about coming to terms with the death of loved ones.
July 11, 2022
A resonate, heart wrenching story in the best of ways, written with nostalgic subtlety detailing eighty-year-old Sam Peek’s remaining years as he adjusts to being a widower.
It is 1960’s rural Georgia, and life as Sam Peek has known it is changed when his beloved wife of 57 years dies, and his five, well-meaning children begin to hover. Alone in his house, Sam is now a focus of concern as his children strategize at keeping their father company, all within Sam’s hearing range.
A kind and patient man, Sam handles his grief with a brave face, and tries to placate his children while holding fast to the last curve of independence in a manner that won’t offend.
With pitch-perfect, Southern nuance and vernacular, author Terry Kay spins a tale from the multiple points of view of well-rounded characters that reads like a round-robin treatise detailing the push and pull of aging. It is an uncertain road navigated by the small details of day-to-day living, where Sam’s memory is a sustaining thing in a small-town environment where little has changed though his life is forever altered.
In the midst of remarkable scene setting, delightful dialogue, and wonderful pacing, a white dog enters the story and the reader questions whether it is real or due to the lonely heart of Sam Peek’s imagination. That the angelic white dog avoids the detection of all but Sam lends the story a mystical, magical air, as the “ghost dog” appears and disappears, while Sam’s children fear he might be losing his grip on reality, and the reader hopes Sam has found a faithful companion.
To Dance with the White Dog is deceptively deep in its use of clear language and resoundingly poignant. It’s a story to last the test of time, beautifully told and indelibly memorable, the kind of fully realized story that hits an existential bullseye and deserves the status of American classic.
It is 1960’s rural Georgia, and life as Sam Peek has known it is changed when his beloved wife of 57 years dies, and his five, well-meaning children begin to hover. Alone in his house, Sam is now a focus of concern as his children strategize at keeping their father company, all within Sam’s hearing range.
A kind and patient man, Sam handles his grief with a brave face, and tries to placate his children while holding fast to the last curve of independence in a manner that won’t offend.
With pitch-perfect, Southern nuance and vernacular, author Terry Kay spins a tale from the multiple points of view of well-rounded characters that reads like a round-robin treatise detailing the push and pull of aging. It is an uncertain road navigated by the small details of day-to-day living, where Sam’s memory is a sustaining thing in a small-town environment where little has changed though his life is forever altered.
In the midst of remarkable scene setting, delightful dialogue, and wonderful pacing, a white dog enters the story and the reader questions whether it is real or due to the lonely heart of Sam Peek’s imagination. That the angelic white dog avoids the detection of all but Sam lends the story a mystical, magical air, as the “ghost dog” appears and disappears, while Sam’s children fear he might be losing his grip on reality, and the reader hopes Sam has found a faithful companion.
To Dance with the White Dog is deceptively deep in its use of clear language and resoundingly poignant. It’s a story to last the test of time, beautifully told and indelibly memorable, the kind of fully realized story that hits an existential bullseye and deserves the status of American classic.
July 18, 2010
I had seen the Hallmark series production of Terry Kay's "To Dance With the White Dog" when it was on TV in the early '90s and remember being very inspired by the story; however, I had never read the book. I met the author at a writer's conference I attended in Athens, Georgia in 2003 and purchased an autographed copy. I'm so happy that I had the chance to be re-introduced to this tender story. As well as being inspirational, this is one of the best character-driven novels I've ever read. Terry Kay paints a realistic picture of each of the characters throughout the novel. Based on the author's own parents and set in the deep South, it tells of an old man who recently lost his wife, leaving him to feel very much alone and depressed. Subsequently, a white dog appears almost as if by magic and oddly the dog makes its appearance only when the old man is present. Thus when he mentions the illusive dog to his married daughters and sons, they can't help but think their father is on the brink of senility. One day the man has a sudden attack and collapses in his home. One of his daughters who lives in the neighborhood sees the dog in her father's front yard, almost as if to alert her there's trouble inside. The daughter comes to her father's rescue and tells the rest of the family the dog is real after all. Just the same, they all continue to fuss and dote over their independent father, worrying about his every move. The story will have you laughing at the protective family's antics and the father's stubborn ways. And naturally you'll need to keep a couple hankies on hand in between. Most of all you will wonder -- who is the "White Dog" and where did she come from? NOTE: Ironically I had a similar experience in the Spring of 2005 with my very own special white dog who mysteriously appeared at a critical time when I needed support and encouragement. I'm happy to report that my beloved Daisy is now 8 yrs. old, and we're still the best of friends .
January 29, 2013
This slim book is just chock-full of wisdom and poignancy. Sam Peek has survived his wife of 57 years, but now his children are concerned about whether he can still care for himself. Into Sam's life walks a mysterious white dog, who then becomes his companion, even though no one besides Sam has actually seen the dog. This book may move you to tears -- it did me -- and the sweet story will stay with you long after you finish.
January 24, 2012
This book is definitely a Five Star book. And like the white dog dances into the protagonist's life after his wife of many years dies, this book danced into my life at a time when I needed to be enchanted and lifted up by a tale. I fell in love with the character who goes on a journey; who couldn't empathize with him as he encounters trouble and puzzlement on his adventure? This is simply a delightful book.
February 24, 2024
A very well written, heartfelt book. It made you feel like you were part of the family.
January 21, 2019
Sweet story about growing old, loss, and family.
January 1, 2022
Sam Peek has just buried his wife of over 50 years. His children are all gathered and the question they all harbour is how will he get by without her.
It is a story about finding the fine balance between supporting and hovering to the point of suffocating.
When a white dog shows up Sam is able to coax her to accept him. However the dog does not hang around when anyone else is around, causing his daughters to question his mental state, and Sam is not above messing with them.
The humour is subtle although I did have a few good chuckles. The book was made into a Hallmark movie starring Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in fact It was their last film together. I will be looking for the movie to see Sam , Cora and White Dog brought to life.
It is a story about finding the fine balance between supporting and hovering to the point of suffocating.
When a white dog shows up Sam is able to coax her to accept him. However the dog does not hang around when anyone else is around, causing his daughters to question his mental state, and Sam is not above messing with them.
The humour is subtle although I did have a few good chuckles. The book was made into a Hallmark movie starring Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn in fact It was their last film together. I will be looking for the movie to see Sam , Cora and White Dog brought to life.
October 11, 2023
I’m sobbing ugly crying snotting everywhere. I can’t decide if this is a 5 star because of that or a 1 star because of how sad I am now.
Update 10/10, I decided it's 5 stars.
Update 10/10, I decided it's 5 stars.
April 17, 2009
The whole dog/wife concept was a bit odd, but I still liked this book a lot. I thought it was interesting that the story was based on true happenings in the author's father's life. And I especially liked the interplay between the family members. I like that these books chosen for my church book club are ones that stretch my book choices and make me think about different things and situations. I hope that I am the type of old person that my family cares for and about, like the children in this story. This book also helped me to re-think the way I interact with the elderly. I'm not mean to them and I don't, like, push them down, but maybe I could be more attentive and see them as just people, more than old people.
Added: Today I was in a store parking lot where an elderly driver was taking FOREVER to back up. Instead of becoming as impatient as I wanted to become, I thought of the character Sam, and his experience driving. While the slowness of of the parking lot driver was annoying, I refrained from making a quizzical face, gesturing, or honking the horn. So, I guess I learned (a little) to control my outward reactions after reading this book.
Added: Today I was in a store parking lot where an elderly driver was taking FOREVER to back up. Instead of becoming as impatient as I wanted to become, I thought of the character Sam, and his experience driving. While the slowness of of the parking lot driver was annoying, I refrained from making a quizzical face, gesturing, or honking the horn. So, I guess I learned (a little) to control my outward reactions after reading this book.
June 13, 2012
I finished this book several days ago, and I'm still thinking about it. (That's significant for me; I tend to walk away from books, even good ones, and forget them almost instantly!)
I'm not going to give away plot points, but I'll say that there is a strong supernatural element to the book. Interestingly (and it's a rare thing when this happens in a supernatural-type book), the mystery is clearly secondary to the characters and relationships. The mystery is even left dangling a little at the end, but it is entirely satisfying--a central theme of the whole story is that sometimes life throws us things we just can't understand.
This book is the whole package...a gentle mystery keeps you turning pages, beautiful writing makes you catch your breath, and the characters (especially Sam Peek) will stay with you a long time.
I'm not going to give away plot points, but I'll say that there is a strong supernatural element to the book. Interestingly (and it's a rare thing when this happens in a supernatural-type book), the mystery is clearly secondary to the characters and relationships. The mystery is even left dangling a little at the end, but it is entirely satisfying--a central theme of the whole story is that sometimes life throws us things we just can't understand.
This book is the whole package...a gentle mystery keeps you turning pages, beautiful writing makes you catch your breath, and the characters (especially Sam Peek) will stay with you a long time.
January 18, 2019
This book has languished on my shelf for many years, but I finally decided to give it a try and was pleasantly surprised, not wanting to put it down, reading late into the night. I can't remember who recommended it to me, but I have a feeling it was someone from my online book group over a decade (or two!) ago. In any event, I enjoyed this quiet, gentle story, which is based on the lives of the author's parents. Not a lot happens, so it should appeal to those who enjoy character-driven novels, particularly those who like tender stories about families and aging parents. Somehow, I didn't mark any passages, but the lyrical prose is proof of Kay's Southern roots. Now to watch the Hallmark production, which is based on the book and stars Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn.
August 17, 2021
A needed reread of this nostalgic bittersweet book which deftly combines humor and tenderness. It features aging Sam Peak who has lost his wife Cora and takes comfort in the companionship of a mysterious white dog which his family believes is a figment of his imagination.
I need to read more Terry Kay.
5 stars
I need to read more Terry Kay.
5 stars
September 5, 2014
1.5 stars. Tamsen doesn't like it when people talk in the third person. Tamsen thought Neelie was fucking annoying.
January 1, 2020
Sweet story about a tree farmer who loses his wife to a sudden heart attack. After she passes a white dig begins to appear at his home. The white dig follows him around and eventually becomes his companion. His children think his relationship with the white dog is unhealthy but they fight it too much. The man goes through a journey of self discovery with white dog by his side
May 20, 2024
A very beautiful story about loss and love.
June 29, 2021
Why are the themes of aging and ageism bringing such insight and relatability presently? Oh yeah, that 70th birthday! Gotta see the movie now!
November 10, 2013
My wife really likes Hallmark Hall of Fame movies and I recognized this title from one of the movies that she watched a few years ago. I have not seen the movie so I cannot compare it to the book.
This was a quick read but that might have to do partly with the fact that I started it close to the weekend and had more time for reading. The main character is Sam Peek and the story begins as his wife dies. Sam is in his 80's himself so he has had a long life with his wife.
Throughout the book we learn about how Sam met his wife, we learn a little bit about his children and we get a little glimpse into how Sam feels about getting older. Sam was a farmer and a Nursery man. He grew pecan trees mostly, and by this time Sam's trees are all over the county. Sam still has a little plot of pecan trees and although he has to use a walker now because of a bad hip he still likes to get out and take care of them. Sam is very independent but his children worry about him. A couple of daughters live nearby and can see him out working in his nursery plot. One tells him that he needs to stop working out there because it worries her so much that something will happen to him. What he tells her is one of my favorite quotes from the book: "Well, I guess you're going to have to worry. I know what I can do and what I can't. If you want to worry about it, that's up to you." Now this is not a book about how Sam's children are way to over protective and how they should just leave him alone. Like all good stories there are two sides and sometimes his children have good reason to worry.
This is a very touching story and from what I can tell Sam loves his wife and children very much. It is also clear that they love him very much. The White Dog is also a very interesting character and even in the end, although there are many theories on where the White Dog came from, I at least was still left wondering. Not in a way that made me feel that the story was lacking or unfinished. I think the reader is suppose to make up his or her own mind about the White Dog.
This was a quick read but that might have to do partly with the fact that I started it close to the weekend and had more time for reading. The main character is Sam Peek and the story begins as his wife dies. Sam is in his 80's himself so he has had a long life with his wife.
Throughout the book we learn about how Sam met his wife, we learn a little bit about his children and we get a little glimpse into how Sam feels about getting older. Sam was a farmer and a Nursery man. He grew pecan trees mostly, and by this time Sam's trees are all over the county. Sam still has a little plot of pecan trees and although he has to use a walker now because of a bad hip he still likes to get out and take care of them. Sam is very independent but his children worry about him. A couple of daughters live nearby and can see him out working in his nursery plot. One tells him that he needs to stop working out there because it worries her so much that something will happen to him. What he tells her is one of my favorite quotes from the book: "Well, I guess you're going to have to worry. I know what I can do and what I can't. If you want to worry about it, that's up to you." Now this is not a book about how Sam's children are way to over protective and how they should just leave him alone. Like all good stories there are two sides and sometimes his children have good reason to worry.
This is a very touching story and from what I can tell Sam loves his wife and children very much. It is also clear that they love him very much. The White Dog is also a very interesting character and even in the end, although there are many theories on where the White Dog came from, I at least was still left wondering. Not in a way that made me feel that the story was lacking or unfinished. I think the reader is suppose to make up his or her own mind about the White Dog.
December 31, 2008
A lovely little tale about growing older and recovering after loss. An old man, now alone after the death of his beloved wife, adjusts to his life. And during this time, he is befriended by a white dog, that at first, no one else can see. But he and the dog develop a wonderful understanding, and the old man doesn't let a little thing like age stop him from living. The discussions that the old man's daughters had while worrying about him in a widowed state made me smile, for kids never seem to remember that parents were quite competent long before their children became adults. I'm quilty of it myself, with my mum, but certainly I raised a child who will be more tolerant of me and my eccentricities, right?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 643 reviews