Aging parents are a part of our circle of life. In The Peace Puppy, Susan Hartzler returns home after the death of her beloved mother to help take care of her father. Her memoir captures the period between moving in with her father and his death a few years later.
Although it’s rarely talked about, caregiving is an enormous responsibility. It can feel as if you are not your own person anymore, that you have been robbed of who you are. On top of this, many people view it as a duty or something you should be glad to do, without recognizing the enormity of what is being asked.
Susan does a wonderful job of capturing the weight of this responsibility without turning it into a pity party. She is a polished author with strong writing skills that make reading her book a delight.
As I have written before, nothing peeves me more than a “dog memoir” without any dogs in it. This book uses sweet Baldwin, an energetic Puli rescue, as an anchor for the entire book. Baldwin is Susan’s rock and helps her through an enormous amount of suffering during this period.
No one should ever have to go through what Susan went through, but Baldwin is there for her every step of the way to offer a steadying paw.
As an added note, Susan also understands dog behavior and does a good job of caring for and understanding her breed. As I have found out through my library reading challenge, this is not always the case.
It’s A Small World
One never really knows what to expect when cracking open a new book. I was very surprised to find myself recognizing the cities, workplaces, and backdrops of this memoir. My father worked at the same place her father worked (Sadly, they didn’t know each other) and I traveled to many of the same cities.
It was wonderful to read about these places through a fresh lens.
Highly Recommendable
While I do not want to spoil the book for readers by sharing all that happens in it, I believe it would be an enjoyable book for anyone who has ever been in the position of caregiver, think they will be, or have ever enjoyed the support of a dog.
In particular, I loved the transformation she experienced when she realized she was enough just as she was, and to honor herself as the person Baldwin loves. It was a profound moment in the book and left me in tears.
This is not the only beautiful moment in the book. You will experience highs, lows, and sometimes have your face an inch from the page reading frantically because you can’t find out what happens fast enough. Truly, an overall satisfying book.
Susan Hartzler’s work is so good, I discovered she has written another book, “I’m not Single, I Have a Dog” and I’ll be purchasing that to review soon.
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