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Men and Dogs: A Novel
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Men and Dogs: A Novel
Unavailable
Men and Dogs: A Novel
Audiobook7 hours

Men and Dogs: A Novel

Written by Katie Crouch

Narrated by Gabra Zackman

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

3.5/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

In April of 1985, Buzz Legare went fishing. The next day all that was found was his boat and his waiting, faithful dog.

Twenty years later, his daughter Hannah still finds hope in believing, alone among her family, that he's still alive somewhere. She has a smart husband, a thriving business, a beautiful home in San Francisco-and a huge hole in her troubled heart. True to her trademark talent for self-sabotage, she finds herself one starry night climbing up the fire escape in a desperate (and drunken) attempt to win back her own husband--and failing disastrously.

Slightly worse for the wear, Hannah returns to Charleston to salve her wounds. There, old loves, unrepented crimes, and family legends are stirred up from the dust. Hannah's brother Palmer, the stoic with a secret of his own, cannot dissuade her from a manic search to uncover clues to the past, and they will both face shocking discoveries that lead them to reconcile their very different notions of loyalty and blind faith.

As she did so memorably in her bestselling debut, Girls in Trucks, Katie Crouch has created another great voice--spiky, tender, and hilarious--in the screwball heroine Hannah Legare. Much like Julia Roberts in My Best Friend's Wedding, Hannah follows the misguided impulses of a heart that's in the right place.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateApr 12, 2010
ISBN9781607881841
Unavailable
Men and Dogs: A Novel
Author

Katie Crouch

Katie Crouch was born in Charleston, South Carolina, and now lives in San Francisco. Having finished her MFA at Columbia in 2005, Katie has written for the the New York Observer, Teen, and Self. She is the author of the bestselling novel Girls in Trucks.

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Reviews for Men and Dogs

Rating: 3.375722514450867 out of 5 stars
3.5/5

173 ratings18 reviews

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Men and Dogs was a pretty serious audiobook that brought us into the life of Hannah Legare when she basically hits rock bottom. Hannah was married and had a very successful on-line business but somehow managed to lose it all by never fully accepting her father's absence in her life.After a life-threatening accident Hannah finds herself back home in Charleston being nursed back to health by her family that she hasn't seen in years. Upon arriving at her childhood home she starts to wonder once again about the disappearance of her father. She has always believed that her father is still alive somewhere and throughout the novel new things come to light about her parents that help to give her a different and clearer perspective on her own life.Hannah's brother Palmer was a very interesting character in this novel. He was a local veterinarian that also happened to be gay. Since his father's disappearance a piece of Palmer seems to be missing also, as he can't seem to maintain a long-term romantic relationship. Where Hannah seems to lose control of her life in general, Palmer seems to be afraid of the implications of love.I loved the journey that this book took me on, giving me insight into the lives that both Hannah and Palmer led. We see how the decisions that they made when they were younger shaped them into the adults that they have become. By not accepting the truth about their lives, they found themselves living in a way that wasn't really living at all, but just getting by.I enjoyed listening to this audiobook and thought that Gabra Zackman did a good job narrating. I've read several mixed reviews of this book so although you should know this book isn't for everyone, something about this one just connected with me. With themes of loss, grieving, and acceptance I think this would also make a great book club selection. I can even admit that with the serious content of this book it even made me laugh once and awhile. This was my first book by Katie Crouch and I'm looking forward to reading more of her books in the future.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    When Hannah Legare was 11 years old, her beloved father leaves on a fishing trip early one morning and is never heard from again. Buzz Legare was everything to Hannah and his disappearance/drowning is the one event that defines the rest of her life. Hannah's mother and brother, Palmer, were able to move on - but Hannah has always held on to the hope of one day finding him once again, especially since his body was never found. Now, at 35, Hannah lives in San Francisco, as far away from Charleston Harbor and her family as she can get, the business that she and her husband, Jon, own is on the brink of bankruptcy and after some crazy stalker-like antics on her part, her husband not only advises that he's leaving her, but that he's also sending her to her mother's for some time to recuperate... physically and mentally. While back in her hometown she gets the crazy idea that now is the perfect time to further investigate her father's death and hopefully get some real answers this time around.Men and Dogs is told not only through Hannah's eyes, but also through Palmer's, Hannah's older brother. Through them you learn of their father's death/disappearance and how it affected not only each of them, but their family and even the community. Through them you also meet a slew of characters - who were all quirky and special in their own way. Hannah's mother, Daisy, who although she's married to the wealthiest man in town, still shops at thrift stores. DeWitt - the stepfather, who was one of these loud and boisterous characters. Every time he walked onto a page I couldn't help but smile at his nicknames for Hannah. There was Virginia, Hannah's old school teacher and the mother to her first boyfriend (the one she literally ran away from). Through Palmer you also learn of his sexuality (he's gay) and how that is affected by small-town life. Tom, his partner wants to adopt a baby and Palmer is too comfortable with his life to have the want for children and the complications they bring.I enjoy character driven novels and this story is exactly that. The differences between Hannah and Palmer and how they were both affected by their father's death is the main focus. Hannah is loud and in-your-face not to mention she is stalking everyone for answers while Palmer is stoic and holds everything inside himself. And although she is the only one who speaks of their father and his death/disappearance on a constant basis - she is not the only one who has not been able to forget and/or get over the event. I enjoyed hearing Gabra Zackman's voice since my version was an audiobook - I found her voice soothing and I think she did a great job with intonation and accents to differentiate the many characters. This is the perfect read to grab on your way out to the beach or pool. It is a fast-paced story with plenty of quirky characters and a witty sense of humor. This audiobook was provided for review by Hachette Book Group.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    If you enjoyed her first novel, Girls in Trucks, I think it's a safe bet you'll enjoy Crouch's return to the setting of Charleston, SC.Crouch's second novel features another wonderfully damaged female lead. Hannah is a successful adult, but her emotions and family life are strained by the fallout from a father who left on a boat at age eleven and either disappeared or drowned. Her life is complicated by cheating on her husband, nearly killing herself accidentally, exploring old love (awkwardly), trying to have a normal relationship with her mother and brother, and still investigating the events that took her father away from her.Crouch also writes gay characters well. Peter is equally damaged in his own way, and the reader gets a good deal of insight into his ability to fumble relationships.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I've read another Katie Crouch book, and I really liked it. This one did not disappoint. It took a little for me to get used to the narrator's voice. But once I got used to her voice I really got into the book. Hanna was so messed up, but she really was a great character. I went from feeling bad for her to being so angry at her, and back again. She had some great grounding forces in her life though. Her brother Palmer (who also has some issues) and her mother Daisy were great characters also. They had dealt with what Hanna was so unwilling to really deal with, and while they understood her issues I think they were ready for her just get on with things. The ending was really touching. I think I like the audiobooks more because it's harder for me to guess what is going to happen, and so the endings are always a surprise for me. I really liked the ending of this one. While it was a "happy" ending it wasn't what I would have expected to happen. Crouch writes with so much humor in her books. Given the depressing topics she writes about the humor is a much needed relief. I think without the humor this would have been a very sad book. Not having dealt with what Hanna is going through I still was able to understand her because Crouch's writing makes it so easy to relate to the characters. Again Crouch has written a great novel!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Men and Dogs is the second novel from Katie Crouch, following her success with Girls in Trucks.Hannah is eleven when her father Buzz takes the family dog Tucker and heads out to go fishing in their hometown harbour of Charleston, South Carolina. The dog is found adrift in the boat and Buzz is presumed drowned. A body was never recovered.Hannah is now thirty five. She is married and loves her husband, but continually cheats on him. On her latest mission of reconciliation she falls from a fire escape. Her husband John and her mother Daisy agree it would be best for all involved if she went home to Charleston to recover. Her older brother Palmer has also stayed on in Charleston.Their father's disappearance has shaped both Hannah and Palmer's lives in different ways. Hannah cannot accept that he is dead. Her time at home is spent reconnecting with her past and trying to figure out where her father has gone and why. Palmer is also dealing with the past. He cannot commit in his relationships and always keeps his partners at arm's length. Daisy is the only one has accepted Buzz's death and moved on. She married Dewitt and is happy with her life.Crouch has crafted a mesmerizing story that explores how much a childhood loss or trauma shapes our future path. Her examination of the relationships between Hannah, her brother, her former lover and her stepfather are especially poignant.Hannah is an interesting character. I found her take on things refreshing, but at the same time didn't really gravitate towards her, despite knowing the reasons for her development. I actually found DeWitt to be the character I liked the most.Always there is the question of what really happened to Buzz.I listened to this book in audio format. The reader was Gabra Zackman and she was excellent. Her voice was clear and nicely modulated. She conveyed the emotions of Hannah and Palmer very well. Her southern accent was believable. I don't know if I would have enjoyed reading this book as much as I did listening to it. Sometimes a story translates better vocally and I think this is one of them.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed this book, and I thought it was more fleshed out and fully realized than its predecessor, Girls in Trucks. That book felt more like a novel-in-stories; this was a more cohesive novel. It's about a woman named Hannah, who has always struggled with her father's disappearance/death when she was a child. Now living in San Francisco, she returns to her childhood home of Charleston, SC to get some answers. Crouch is a really talented writer whose words are concise, but pack a punch.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Easy story! Good narration which is a make or break in audiobooks. Enjoyed the characters and the way people need closure on events. All in all a good engaging narrative.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I kept waiting for something big to happen. It’s like the whole story was leading up to something that just never comes.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Great narrator, good story, poor ending. Overall underwhelming and a waste of time.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Maybe I'm spoiled, after listening to so many audio books (i discovered years ago that the crippling migraines i still live with were made better by having the right voice tell a story while i could do nothing but lie in my bed, in the dark), I just need them to make sense. If I had read this, rather than listen, it might have been a different experience, but the characters didn't feel real. Did feel like very narcissistic caricatures. I almost never give up on a book, but did quit this one. When there is no one to cheer for, or even like at all? For me, there's no point investing more time. Maybe everyone gets therapy and it ends beautifully! So I can't recommend this one. (so many other reviewers just wrote what the book is about, so if you want a summary, there are a lot here!)
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Likable characters with fair development. Plot is boring and predictable.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I thought that this novel was a lot better then her first though it did have a rather suddenn end to it. She is getting much better at her character development and I felt more connected to her lead character in this novel then her previous.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This book was okay - it wasn't terrible, but it wasn't something I would go out of my way to read either. I think the problem for me was I found the characters very unlikable - they were all selfish and sort of depressing presonalities.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    A woman who is stuck in a time period when her father died, but his body was never found. She is incapable of believing that he is actually dead and obsessed with finding information about that time and what happened to her. Delves into the fragility of all beings whether they seem sane or not. An entertaining read.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I enjoyed this book. It seemed to be a bit of a formula book. Being from San Francisco, I was inclined to like the book. The main character was frustrating and it was hard to feel sorry for her at this point in her life. Katie Crouch writes in a clever style and I like her way of moving back and forward between the present and the past. As with all books that have characters and situations much different from mine, I found the book a learning experience. I will probably read her first book.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Crouch's writing style is consistent with what is considered 'hot' in today's literary world: detailed description of place, quirky characters, regional syntax. Her characters are unsympathetic, make poor choices, and engage in bad behavior. All very human, but a bit infuriating to the women in my book club. The person in my book club who chose this thought it would be a 'funny' book. Most of us agreed it was not. You could laugh AT the characters, but not WITH them. I quite liked the ending. It made intuitive sense. If you have a lot of time and are stuck (dentist's office, desert island), then read this book.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Hannah Legare's father disappeared on a fishing trip when she was eleven years old and that fact defines the rest of her life. Having found his boat, occupied only by his dog, everyone else concludes that he fell overboard and drown. Hannah is convinced he is still alive and will one day return. This fact colors every aspect of her life and shadows all her relationships, with her hyper controlled, gay brother, the childhood sweetheart she ran away from, and her loving and devoted husband. After a nervous breakdown she returns home determind to finally solve the mystery of her father's disappearance forever. The dominant emotion I felt reading this book was extreme frustration. Hannah has so many things going for her and all she can see is the one thing in her life that has gone wrong. With little strength of character she wallows in her father's disappearance long after everyone else has moved on. Maybe I'm being harsh here, but I continually felt like shaking Hannah (as do most of the other charaters in the book)and telling her to look up and see everything she has. It was particularly frustrating because Katie Crouch creates such great charaters. I liked Hannah and wanted to see her get straightened out! Her husband is a gem and even her mother, step-dad, and brother were interesting, caring (in their own way) people. An easy, fast-paced read, not bad for a day on the beach.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Hannah Legare’s life has been defined by her father’s disappearance back when she was 11 years old. Dr. Legare took his boat out to go fishing and never returned. The boat was found but he was never seen again. Hannah has lived her life believing that her father still lives and has been searching for him in the faces of passing strangers. She escaped Charleston, moving to San Francisco, marrying and starting a business with her husband. But the excesses in Hannah’s life, too much drinking, too much infidelity, have caused her husband to want out of the marriage. After a disastrous attempt to get her husband back, Hannah goes home to Charleston to lick her wounds and regroup.Katie Crouch has written a fascinating tale of a life with no controls. Hannah is obsessed with finding out exactly what happened to her father and has neglected her own life and her relationships with those around her. The writing is precise and clear. Hannah and her family, mother, stepfather and brother, are fully developed and realized. While Hannah is certainly not a very likeable character, it is easy to feel her pain and understand what drives her to make one terrible decision after another.I also want to say that I absolutely love the cover art for this book. I know that I’m seriously drawn to beautiful cover art, sometimes buying really bad books. This was definitely not the case with this book—the cover and the text are a very good match.