Parable

The One #2

by Jess Walter

#1 New York Times bestselling author Jess Walter finds his beloved Millie sleeping with his neighbor. On his porch!

In this funny remembrance of an unusual triangle, Jess learns to accept what’s best for the one animal he has ever loved. After all, he gave his heart to the Australian shepherd mix he’d rescued. What alternative has he other than to give the restless girl her freedom? But in doing so, Jess discovers more about himself, the nature of affection and attachment, the inevitability of loss, and how much Millie means to so many.

Genres: Short Stories, Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Animals, Contemporary, Ebooks

26 pages, ebook

First published July 30, 2019

About the author

Jess Walter is the author of eight novels and one nonfiction book. His work has been translated into more than 20 languages and his essays, short fiction, criticism and journalism have been widely published, in Details, Playboy, Newsweek, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe among many others.

Walter also writes screenplays and was the co-author of Christopher Darden’s 1996 bestseller In Contempt. He lives with his wife Anne and children, Brooklyn, Ava and Alec in his childhood home of Spokane, Washington.

Reviews

[Rosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: A true story about an unusual love triangle. I am not a fan of love triangles, but if they are like this, count me in to read the tale!
(Please read my complete review before you jump to any conclusions about the triangle!)

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👉 Jess Walters – a successful writer who is often away on book tours and the other things a writer is expected to do in today’s publishing world.

👉 Millie – Jeff’s darling, who won him over with her soulful eyes and independent attitude.

👉 Martin – Jeff’s next-door neighbour.

Millie isn’t very happy in Jess’s home and takes a long time to settle in her new life. But when she meets Martin and discovers how sweet and kind he is to her (unlike her Jess, who is busy being a writer), she immediately switches loyalties, much to Jess’s chagrin. He tries his best to win her back, but Millie has always been a free spirit, and she does what she wants to do.

This true story tells us of Jess’s heart-breaking experience with Millie, and how he learns to accept her choices and to share her with Martin. It also contains some of his childhood memories, which explain why he has always been apprehensive of such relationships. The title indicates the lessons Jess learnt from his experiences with Millie.

I loved this touching story, though some of it was uncomfortable and sad to read, especially Jess’s reminiscences about his time in his family’s ranch. But whatever was written is a typical part of farm life, so I appreciate Jess’s honesty, and can’t really argue against those routines.

Other than the above, no complaints. I loved the feelings stirred in my heart by this true-life narrative. It contains a veritable array of human emotions: happiness, despair, hope, heartbreak, frustration, anger, patience, and, of course, love.

Definitely recommended. This is the kind of love triangle that will melt your heart.

4.25 stars.

Oh, and just to clarify, Millie is Jess’s Australian shepherd dog. 😉


This standalone story is a part of the “The One” collection, and is currently available free to Kindle Unlimited subscribers.




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[Andy Marr · Rating 5 out of 5]

AKA 'Millie and Me'

[Kerry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short story found on Audible. love all things Jess Walter. Part of a short story collection called The One.
Story of a dog, an independent dog who leads a life all his own. A look at animals and people, the people expectation.

[Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars for Parable (audiobook) by Jess Walter read by the author.

This is some loving and heartwarming and sometimes sad story of Millie. Millie’s an Australian Shepherd that was rescued by the author. She lead a wonderful life and had great relationship with a neighbor and really the whole community.

[aPriL does feral sometimes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The author Jess Walter wrote a short story, 'Parable' for the Amazon Original Stories series called The One. The One is whoever was "the perfect match". The One Walter remembers and writes of in this story is a dog. The lessons of love Millie, an Australian Shepherd/blue heeler mix, taught Walter are not the usual ones because Millie was not the usual dog. She was a shelter rescue estimated to be about six or seven years old.

Millie needed to be won over. She didn't express the usual gratitude, nor was she afraid. She wasn't mean. She was different. She owned herself.

I was teary by the time I finished this little short story. Readers who belong to Kindle Unlimited can get it 'free.'

[Becks! · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Eve · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a short story in yet another Amazon Collection, The One. The collection seems to focus on love and romance, including love for one's children, pets, as well as romantic partners.

"Parable" is one of the strongest stories in the collection. It centers on a dog, and how the dog affects the the families who are lucky enough to play part in its life. I loved how Jess Walter was able to tie in each piece of the story and convey a theme of how love and loss affects us. Walter peppers the writing with inserts of dry-humor and raw honesty. If you've ever loved a pet (and especially, if you come from a family where that kind of pet love isn't understood), you will relate to this story.

I always enjoy these Amazon Collections as the stories are short and easily digested over your morning coffee, a lunch break, or (as is often in my case) right before nodding off to bed. You get a short sampling of an authors work, and I have found a few new favorite authors I otherwise wouldn't have found through reading these.

[Aisha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, heart warming short. A love triangle between the author, Millie and his neighbour.

[Obsidian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this story about a man who fell for a dog who just tolerated some of his family and was the neighborhood dog in a way was good, but I just didn't get into it. Walter had a lot of stories about his family, their failures of working the land/becoming farmers, and how animals were treated. There were a few stories that are going to have animal lovers screaming in horror. I also rebuke his comments about cats. My cat loves me and is very affectionate. I don't know why people do this weird thing were cats are aloof and don't want to be cuddled and don't know their people. Ah well.

[emerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

"You learn more every day, every year, every decade, and not just about the object of your affection, but about yourself, and about the nature of love itself, and eventually, about the nature of loss."

[Holly Letson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This heartfelt of a dog is, perhaps, my favorite story of this entire collection.

[Satomi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book just because there is a dog on the cover. I liked this and I want to read this author’s other books, too.

[Anya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a short story but really funny and moving. Plus, it's probably a true story. I love Jess Walter and this was no exception!

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Millie, what a dog!

[Teri-K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've not read anything by this author, but the offer of a free read from Amazon got me to try it - and I'm glad I did. This isn't a short story, but a nonfiction piece centered around the author's experiences with pets. I could identify a bit with his ranch upbringing, where animals are viewed as necessities but never coddled. Then he and his family acquire a dog, and the dog begins to change him.

There's some great dry humor here - "I don't actively dislike cats; I think they can be adorable and entertaining. Along with revenge porn and political disinformation, they appear to be the whole reason the internet exists." Then there are the places where the reader recognizes themselves in the story - "Every person who has ever brought a shelter dog home remembers that moment you understand: Oh, THIS is why the dog was at the shelter."

I don't read a lot of modern pet books; I've never read or seen Marley and Me or any of those, but I quite enjoyed this brief essay, it was honest and amusing and, of course, heart-warming, as all animal stories should be. Well done.

[Betsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad that this series covers the love of fur babies.

"In books and movies, the romance part of the story always ends with the confession of love, or the realization of it... as if love were the end result of a love story. But anyone who has been in love knows that love is just the beginning. You learn more every day, every year, every decade, and not just about the object of your affection, but about yourself, and about the nature of love itself, and eventually about the nature of loss."

So true.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever loved an animal; you should read/listen to this short story. Free with Amazon Prime

[Alison Altomari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart-wrenching and beautiful. We don't deserve dogs, but man are we lucky to have them.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 4 out of 5]

i really look forward to these reads from Amazon and enjoy the listen or read option. great cover. this one was so touching and sweet. good read/listen.

[Jeff B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second thing I've read by Jess Walter and I think I'm a fan. This short story - well, actually it's more of an essay or memoir or something in between - explores his complicated relationship with pets and animals in general. From his childhood living on a poor farm where animals were nothing more than utility to modern suburban life, he writes about the difficulties of having a pet like the commitments, the costs, the frustrations, and the grief. A lot of the story is about his dog, Millie - but was it ever really his at all? I find Jess Walter's writing to be funny and poignant and that's my kind of thing. I'm not a hundred percent sure of what the message of the parable was, but I really liked this.

[Brianna Bello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect love triangle. The best one yet. Millie. That dog had an amazing life. She had so many people who loved her and adored her. She was independent but also loved to be loved. She chose her people. She didn’t want just one family. She wanted multiple and she got just that. In her final days she was still surrounded by love. This story was truly beautiful and made me miss my own little toy Aussie.

[Heather]

Walter doesn't sugar-coat his experience with animals - both ranch animals and pets. But he still manages to tell a heart-wrenching short story. Especially for the mama of an older, willful mixed Shepherd.

[Joseph Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

We Don't deserve animals

I absolutely loved this story. We all want a dog like Millie and quite frankly we all want a neighbor like Martin. This collection of short stories about true love called "the One" has been so good. Highly recommend

[Keith Book Korner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story short and straight to the point. If you are a Dog lover this is a great read for you and talks about the bond between dogs and their personality.. I really enjoyed and would recommend to a dog lover. The writing style was is to the point and very well done.. great quick read..

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

The 2nd short story in "The One" Kindle Unlimited Collection. Cute love story about a family's dog who essentially becomes the neighborhood dog. Millie is so cool.

Was going to rate it 4 stars until I remembered the cat slander in the beginning pages lol

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man isn't a dog person, dog isn't a man person - they reconcile but dog remains fiercely independent and man adapts. A lovely story...

[Kai Charles(Fiction State Of Mind) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet story about a dog and the community she accepts as family

[Tonya Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

Such a beautiful story that had me in tears. Millie couldn't be owned and lived a great life. She was loved by so many people!!

[porscha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Overall a wholesome story, a nice quick read

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love dogs, you WILL cry listening to this. You have been warned!