Dog Years

Written and Narrated By: Mark Doty

Length: 6 hrs and 14 mins

On Death, On Grief, On Living the best Life possible

And to say I cried whilst listening to Dog Years would be an understatement.

Okay, okay, okay. Maybe I didn’t cry as muuuuuuuch after, say, my second, third, or fourth listen, but I still wound up weeping slow, trickling tears.

Mark Doty is an extraordinary writer, and Dog Years is a simply beautifully, elegantly written work. It’s a deconstruction of poetry; it’s a deconstruction of lives lived, of deaths that are inevitable if you want to exist in this life with even a little bit of love in it.

The audiobook follows the death of Doty’s partner, Wally, from AIDS related illnesses. It follows the death of a beautiful golden retriever, Bo. It ends with the death of a black Newfie/retriever mix, Arden. And each death is pondered, considered with care and, ultimately, celebrated because they followed lives unutterably well-lived. There is SUCH love in this book; every minute breathes beauty to the listener.

Doty narrates this himself, and while the beginning of the audiobook shows a choppy delivery (at a couple of places, I thought my app was frying out), Doty soon catches his rhythm and turns in a fine, if subdued, performance. This, after all, is indeed a somber book, dealing with serious subject matter. Even September 11th’s nightmare of a day (and the aftermath) is covered, along with the sorrow and depression the day brought.

There are points in the story where Doty feels he’s had too many losses; he simply cannot handle the ultimate demise of his beloved canine friends, but his confusion is written so well, the losses feel so imminent, that it’s almost too touching to bear. Still, the beauty of their lives makes him snap out of it, as does his fierce protective streak, and he returns to life open and willing to bear it all if it brings with it just one more love-filled day.

I’m getting a lump in my throat right now just thinking and remembering some of this absolutely wonderful book. Okay, so maybe I have listened to Dog Years, like, A LOT. It doesn’t matter.

It’s as beautiful the fifth time as it was the first go-round.

It makes you profoundly grateful to be able to spend the last years, the final days with someone you’ve loved well. It makes you honor not only their memory in your heart, but celebrate their lives as they continue to breathe.

I cannot recommend this audiobook highly enough, especially if you’re grieving or are living through the honor of hospice days. Just lovely…