My Life Among the Underdogs: A Memoir
Written and Narrated By: Tia Torres
Length: 5 hrs and 50 mins
Never watched the show, but now I soooo wanna!
S’pposedly we’re all to know Tia Torres from her show “Pitbulls and Parolees” and such.
I must admit that I don’t. My husband doesn't believe in cable TV, so what WOULD’ve been a wonderful channel, Animal Planet, just isn’t coming to our home any time soon. Still, I was thinking this book would be stocked with all sorts of behind-the-scenes stories, and I’d come to know some of the wonderful animals that have changed lives, and some of the wonderful parolees who’ve had their own lives changed.
Wellllll, not so much. But, it turns out, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
What My Life Among the Underdogs turns out to be is the story of many of the stuPENdous dogs that have shaped Tia’s life. And at first, lemme tell ya: “Torres”? I was thinking we’d hit the jackpot with an animal rescue story that was ALSO Hispanic Heritage Month! Uhm, noooo… I googled this awesome woman, and it’s just her married (Ex’s) name, and she’s 100% Irish. So boohoo for me on that accord, but Huzzah to the Irish (St. Patrick’s Day, anyone?).
And as Torres gives us the TOTally heartfelt stories of how these dogs came to be in her life, and in the lives of her kids, we get snippets and the essence of how her own life has unfolded. And it’s been a struggle. Torres from an early age was taught that it’s better to go it alone than to open the heart up to a man… who will inevitably disappoint ya. MANY men have disappointed her; the dogs, however? Nope, never have. There are also struggles with getting the day to day of managing the Villalobos Rescue Center, started as a rescue for wolf/dog hybrids but which, of sheer necessity, came to be a refuge for “bully” dogs, notably pitties. There are volunteers, there’s a bit of money coming in, but it’s a hardscrabble existence, and were it not for Torres and her children, who knows what’d happen. By the way? She’s taught, as her own stepmother taught her, that it’s a privilege to have animals in one’s life and caring for them comes before anything else, even before Christmas presents.
The most touching stories are of the dogs who came to mean so much to her kids. Hear tell Monster’s story is told on TV, but I’m glad it’s told again here. Tia’s son Mo, who was a distant kid and who had problems, is comforted and guided by Monster, a dog who had a rough life but who had that golden last chance with Mo. This story, fellow Accomplice, is a tearjerker, I tell you! Because those two, boy/young man and dog came to mean the absolute world to each other. And it’s like this, see:
These are the entire life-stories of the dogs, which means beginning, middle, and… end. Do not come into a listen of this book without a tissue on hand. It just reminded me of my own precious buddies, the commitment made, the love given and received, the desperate illnesses and inevitable declines. The elder care; the final hospice care. And, yes—the harrowing and heartbreaking last act of love, where you tell them thank you, you meant the world to me, and good-bye.
All are told by this tough and really rather fearless woman who most CERtainly has a softer, oh so vulnerable side. Her voice gets rough as she relates the lives of these guys, of how they blossomed with love and acceptance, and it truly gets edgy when she describes the final letting-go. Torres narrates the entire audiobook fearlessly, and I greatly appreciated how she did it. It’s not always the case that the author does a good job narrating their own work, but I really got a feel for her here.
If you’ve seen the TV program and are expecting stories like what’s on the program, you might be disappointed. But if you’re looking for a book where there are hardcore stories of what animals go through, of how they’re given another chance, of how a well-loved dog can be that blessed pillow that snuggles into your arms when you fall asleep, look no further. Human frailty at its most vulnerable, its most courageous; animal trust at its most vulnerable, its most courageous.
Plenty of Hellos, and many painful partings, sure. But isn’t that Life?
And isn’t that just AWEsome?
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.