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    One Good Dog: A Novel
    One Good Dog: A Novel
    One Good Dog: A Novel
    Audiobook8 hours

    One Good Dog: A Novel

    Written by Susan Wilson

    Narrated by Fred Berman, Christina Delaine and Rick Adamson

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    "One Good Dog is a wonderful novel: a moving, tender, and brilliantly crafted story about two fighters—one a man, one a dog— hoping to leave the fight behind, who ultimately find their salvation in each other. Susan Wilson's clear and unflinching style is perfectly suited for her story that strips away the trappings and toys we all hide behind, and exposes our essential need to give and accept love in order to thrive."—Garth Stein, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Racing in the Rain

    Adam March is a self-made "Master of the Universe." He has it all: the beautiful wife, the high-powered job, the glittering circle of friends. But there is a price to be paid for all these trappings, and the pressure is mounting—until the day Adam makes a fatal mistake. His assistant leaves him a message with three words:your sister called. What no one knows is that Adam's sister has been missing for decades. That she represents the excruciatingly painful past he has left behind. And that her absence has secretly tormented him all these years. When his assistant brushes off his request for an explanation in favor of her more pressing personal call, Adam loses it. And all hell breaks loose.

    Adam is escorted from the building. He loses his job. He loses his wife. He loses the life he's worked so hard to achieve. He doesn't believe it is possible to sink any lower when he is assigned to work in a soup kitchen as a form of community service. But unbeknownst to Adam, this is where his life will intersect with Chance.

    Chance is a mixed breed Pit Bull. He's been born and raised to fight and seldom leaves the dirty basement where he is kept between fights. But Chance is not a victim or a monster. It is Chance's unique spirit that helps him escape and puts him in the path of Adam.

    What transpires is the story of one man, one dog, and how they save each other—in ways they never could have expected.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateMar 2, 2010
    ISBN9781427209245
    One Good Dog: A Novel
    Author

    Susan Wilson

    Susan Wilson is the bestselling author of several books including One Good Dog, Cameo Lake and Beauty, a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast, which was made into a CBS-TV movie. She lives on Martha’s Vineyard.

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    Reviews for One Good Dog

    4/5

    225 ratings36 reviews

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      The story of a man and a dog saving each other. The first part of this book, in my opinion, was hard to get through. In fact I almost didn't finish. When Adam March suffers a melt down, he loses his job and family. He finds himself at rock bottom doing community service atFort Street Center, a men's shelter. The pit-bull of the story is raised to fight and has won many fights, but he finds himself in dog shelter. The language of the first part when Adam's life is falling apart was brutal. It seemed every page I was flinching at another curse word that was used. However, after the turning point between dog and man, curse words became few and far between. The story also picked up and I couldn't put it down. Over all, I am glad I finished. The ending was exactly the right one. It was well worth the first part.
    • 5/5
      Great book. Hard to get in to but once u do it'll get you in its hooks. I love it so much. Recommend to anyone that loves dogs and reading about them
    • 3/5
      This was an enjoyable book. It was fairly predictable. The characters grew exactly as I thought they would and while there is a small twist at the end it's not enough to really change the course of the book. But that's not always a bad thing. Sometimes you need to read something that keeps your interest but isn't always challenging you. The author's characters are well drawn and even if I wasn't confronted with new ideas, I did find myself caring about the characters. This is a great 'summer read'.
    • 5/5
      A fabulous book! This story has so much insight into everyday life.
    • 5/5
      It wasdifferent!!! It capturing true love between man and dog!!!!
    • 4/5
      Adam March is on the brink of achieving his final goal—his meltdown ends all that. Chance is a fight dog who gets a second chance. They are not looking for help but together they get a chance to heal old hurts. Touching, nice characters.
    • 5/5
      I'm working my way through all of her books....wonderful, wonderful!!! We have always been cat people but Wilson's writing certainly makes me WANT....a dog!!!
    • 5/5
      In the novel One Good Dog, a man and a dog lift each other out of their desperate situations. Things were pretty bad for both of them.The dog, Chance, is a pitbull, raised to fight. He's a champion, excellent at killing his opponents. He spent most of his younger days in training or locked in a cage in a dark basement.The man, Adam, lost his mother then was put in foster care by his father. Now, as an adult, he has made his way up the corporate ladder by acting ruthless and cruel. He works for a cosmetic company where he defends experiments conducted on animals. He makes no friends at work and is only interested in wealth and status. One day his self centered attitude and memories of a tragedy from his past come together to push him toward a violent reaction. The result for Adam is serious legal problems and the loss of everything he values. This is where the book really gets going. Both Chance and Adam have hit bottom and need help.All books where dogs are personified require some suspension of disbelief, but this one requires more than most. The readers have to accept that Chance thinks like a human. That's to be expected. In this novel, however, both Chance and Adam have to overcome their violent pasts. That is rare for both dogs and humans. But this is their story and I was pulling for them both.I recommend this book for anyone who likes stories of redemption.Steve Lindahl – author of Motherless Soul, White Horse Regressions, Hopatcong Vision Quest, and Under a Warped Cross
    • 3/5
      Good story of a dog and his boy, but the boy is grown up. Having gone from foster homes to the height of his profession, he falls when his rage takes over and he hits a woman who moves too slowly. After losing his job, and his wife and his daughter turned against him, he has to endure community service in a welfare kitchen. He tries to make a new life, slowly, and ends up finding a dog for a homeless man who disappears, and ends up with the wrong dog. The story then goes back and forth between the man and the dog, who sometimes has better sense than the man has. The story from the dog's point of view are well written. The story from the man's point of view can sometimes be tedious. Basically it is the coming of age story of an adult man. Nevertheless, a good read and a good beach or rainy day at the lake cottage book. Dog lovers will like this.
    • 4/5
      Audio book performed by Fred Berman and Rick Adamson

      Adam March is a self-made man. He has steadily climbed the corporate ladder and is sure he’ll be the next CEO of Dynamic Industries. His wife and only daughter lack for nothing. His hard work has provided well for his family, with a large home in the suburbs, as well as vacation homes in Florida and Martha’s Vineyard. His wife, Sterling, chairs all the best charity events, and they belong to the best club. But one tear in the tight mantle of self-control he wears will change everything.

      Chance is a man-made fighter. A 3-year-old brindled pit bull, he’s been bred to fight and has fought his way to championship. But when he sees his opportunity for freedom he takes to the streets.

      Happenstance brings these two together, and each gets a second chance for a new life.

      I really enjoyed this novel that explores what it means to be a man. Humility is a hard lesson for Adam to learn. He is in turn arrogant, angry, frustrated, superior, despondent, and condescending. But he has the capacity to be tender, understanding and loving. His journey is echoed by that of Chance – a dog destined to be euthanized, but smart enough to recognize he must quickly learn to be “nice” to people, for his very life depends upon it. How they both learn to be (rather than merely act) open and loving is the central plot.

      Wilson peoples the book with a variety of secondary characters, from street people to high-powered executives, from Adam’s high-priced psychiatrist to the newsstand owner who offers advice for free. Berman and Adamson do a fantastic job of the narration. I really got the sense of how tightly wound and ready-to-explode Adam was.
    • 5/5
      A man damaged by life who absolutely did not want a dog. A dog damaged by a life in the dog fighting pits who absolutely did not want a man. The story takes turns being narrated by Adam, the man who struggles with family, his past and his one misguided act which cost him everything and Chance, the dog who escaped the dog fight arena. Can two broken souls heal each other? I know I am a soft touch when it comes to animals but I loved it. This book is a must read for fans of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN and MARLEY AND ME.
    • 3/5
      Found on a book exchange shelf where I was leaving a BookCrossing book. It was a nice book to read between some of my other, grittier, reads. It could have so easily gone syrupy or maudlin, but managed to lean more toward poignant and charming.
    • 4/5
      We all know that I am NOT a dog person. However, I appreciate and respect those that have special pets (as long as they don't go 'overboard'). I have seen the love exchanged and felt their sorrow when a pet is lost. This is a recommended read on several levels. Chapters the dog narrates are well done. The main character is a reflection on how "having it all" can be deceptive and quickly lead to losing it all in a flash of uncontrolled fury.
      Good insights into the healing of both man and canine - together.
    • 4/5
      This is a story of a man and a dog, both in need of a second chance at life. It is a sad and sweet and wonderful story. I'm very sensitive when it comes to reading about animals being mistreated, and so there were things about this that were hard for me to read, but it was ultimately worth it. Highly recommended.
    • 4/5
      Eventhough this book was a bit juvenile and easy, I enjoyed it. The parts when the dog was narrating were cute, I'm always wondering what dogs are thinking.
    • 4/5
      Adam March is an up-and-coming CEO who loses everything in a moment of weakness. Chance is a pit bull on the run from his dog-fighting owners. Neither thinks they need the other... but of course they do. It's predictable that man and dog will become a team, but the details aren't predictable.Warning: contains animal violence. While it's not described graphically, the dog-fighting aspects are very difficult to take. I liked this book a lot, but I'd recommend Susan Wilson's The Dog Who Danced even more.
    • 5/5
      My career was that of a non profit Human Society in Mid California, in an area that was a meca for Pit Bull fighting. We ended up with many Pits in our shelter. Many an example of macho idiots who thought there being a man was connected to how hard their dog fought. I have known some loving misunderstood souls in these misunderstood animals. This book is so believable and I love that the author gives the dogs she writes about a voice. If you are wondering whether or not to read this book..Let your wondering end. READ IT. I want to read her next one.
    • 3/5
      Feelgood story.
    • 5/5
      Another great book about dogs and the relationships they have with humans. Some chapters are narrated by the dog, a pit bull, with an unimaginable start in life while the others are narrated by the author. It is a tale of a powerful, high-up executive with all the successes in life loosing it all and his battle to gain some humility and also that of a pit bull raised to be a fighter who learns that there is another world out there. Both characters are fighters that are given a second chance at life. Their paths cross by "chance" that is unexpected for the human character, Adam. Adam has no intention of keeping the dog but is stuck with him for a few weeks. The dog who has no name dreams of a free life on the street which he has taken a shine to. The two of them grow to love each other and are tossed into some unexpected turn of events with an unforeseen twist at the end of the novel.Not only did I love this book because it shows the true nature of the misaligned pit bull but also because it illustrates the bonds that dogs have with their humans. It sheds light onto a dog's perspective and how their "job" in life is to be there for their much adored humans.
    • 3/5
      Adam March is on his way to becoming the CEO of Dynamic Industries. That is, until he suddenly snaps one day and attacks his personal assistant. He loses everything: his job, his wife and daughter, and his house. He is sentenced to a year of community service at the Fort Street Center, a place where homeless men can get a hot meal and a bed. Meanwhile, Chance - a pit bull who has lived his life as a dog fighter in a dark basement – has escaped his brutal life only to end up in a shelter where he is unlikely to be adopted. Although Adam doesn't know the first thing about dogs and has no desire to own one, he finds himself in possession of this tattered and beaten-up dog. Over time, man and dog discover that they are each giving the other a second chance at life.
    • 2/5
      ONE GOOD DOG by Susan Wilson is the story of Adam, a highly paid business executive who has a breakdown and loses everything as a result, including his marriage. He gets stuck with a pit bull and ends up loving it.I admit: I'm a sucker for good animal stories. And many other dog lovers had given the book high reviews. I believed them. That's the reason I bought ONE GOOD DOG.But I am a well read adult who appreciates truly good books and depends on truly honest reviews. None of the reviews I read bothered to mention that ONE GOOD DOG is a children's book.It's marketed to adults, and I can't for the life of me figure out why. This is a book I may have liked when I was 12. Even then, I think, I would have noticed how predictable everything in the story is. I knew what was going to happen pages before it happened. Everything, no kidding, was predictable.Seriously, Susan Wilson would be better off with a publisher who would market this book to younger readers.
    • 4/5
      Being a huge animal lover, this book was difficult for me to get through the last several pages. In fact, I was so emotional I HAD to skip to the very end to see what happened. I simply couldn't read through the remaining pages not knowing. I then I finished reading the book. Then I cried. What can I say...I'm a sap. (Trust me, me telling you my reaction doesn't give "it" away)
    • 5/5
      This was a great book. Adam March's changes forever the day he slaps his secretary in the face in a fit of uncontrolled deep seated anger. Adam loses it all : his job, family, and has to do community service in a soup kitchen. While there adam learns the real meaning of life and takes in a dog named chance that he grew to love and helps turn his life around. I liked the way the author altered between chapters where you see what the dog is thinking .
    • 4/5
      The story of a man and a dog saving each other. The first part of this book, in my opinion, was hard to get through. In fact I almost didn't finish. When Adam March suffers a melt down, he loses his job and family. He finds himself at rock bottom doing community service atFort Street Center, a men's shelter. The pit-bull of the story is raised to fight and has won many fights, but he finds himself in dog shelter. The language of the first part when Adam's life is falling apart was brutal. It seemed every page I was flinching at another curse word that was used. However, after the turning point between dog and man, curse words became few and far between. The story also picked up and I couldn't put it down. Over all, I am glad I finished. The ending was exactly the right one. It was well worth the first part.
    • 5/5
      Really loved this book - could barely put it down. The premise of the story is the "meeting" of 2 beings in crisis - one a pit bull who was rescued from a fighting ring, the other an ex high-powered executive, whose fall from grace in the corporate world triggers the loss of his family and social world as he knows it. The story is beautifully well written and is deep with meaning without becoming "sappy". I highly recommend this read; If you liked "the Art of Racing In the Rain" I can't imagine you wouldn't love this also.
    • 5/5
      I went into "One Good Dog" with skepticism. I knew that part of it was told from the dog's point of view, and that it was about a Pit Bull. I expected a cheesy, bleeding heart rendition. I was more than pleasantly surprised. I loved it! Sure, there is some glossing over of normal dog aggression in the breed and some myths are fed. But, the dog's point of view was believable, and the story was a good one.The story is about a man that is of self-made worth that loses it all with one REALLY bad momentary loss of control. His life intersects with a Pit Bull who has been badly mistreated, but is still willing to give humans a bit of a chance. The two grow closer, despite neither one really wanting it badly in the beginning. It's a great story of redemption and realizing what is TRULY important in life.
    • 5/5
      ONE GOOD DOG by Susan Wilson was a great read one that I will read again. Two lost souls who have come to an cross roads in their lives soon find each other. When they do there worlds will change for the better when they learn some lessons on the way to earning each others love and respect.
    • 4/5
      The best advice I can give anyone reading One Good Dog is don't give up. As many other readers have noted, the main human character is unlovable at the beginning of the book, and I struggled to get into the story. It was not until I read the first chapter written from Chance's perspective (the dog) that the story engaged me. I am glad I persevered. The story, and the character development that Adam (the above-mentioned unlovable human) goes through is both believable and inspiring. It is a heartwarming and satisfying story.However, the real highlights in the book for me were the chapters written from Chance's perspective. The narrative, style and viewpoint made me really feel as though I was the dog, and I saw things from a whole new perspective. While there are parts of this book that seem like just another dog story, it also manages to rise above that as a unique and engaging narrative that has earned a place on my bookshelf.
    • 4/5
      Adam's attitude annoyed me at the beginning, but Chance was adorable and kept me reading on despite that. As the plot progressed, Adam had to develop beyond his lonely child and CEO identity; he became much more interesting instead of "hear me roar". In the process, he became a better father than his own ever was. Chance too has to decide between anger, solitude, and friendship. This book shows the imperfections in everyone, and then helps you love them anyway.I wish I had a tail to wag.
    • 3/5
      In the beginning of the book, I didn't really care much for Adam. He was snobby and was a workaholic. I couldn't relate to him because he was so rich and had a schedule he kept everyday. When he lost his job, I felt a little bad for him, but it bothered me that a self-made man who had such a high work ethic just sat around and did nothing about his unemployment.I loved Chance's chapters. I've always been against dog fighting. I think Chance's POV gave him more personality and allowed the reader to see both Chance and Adam grow.It bothered me a little that it took half of the book for Adam to get the dog. I felt like there was too much emphasis on what the people wore and how they looked physically. The relationship with Gina also bothered me a little. **spoiler** I would've been fine if they had just been friends and Gina had been there for Adam as a friend when Chance was lost.Overall, the book was an enjoyable read.