What a bittersweet story/memoir. Not happy, not sad; just matter of fact. The author's husband is struck by a car, and suffers a traumatic brain injury. How does one pick up the pieces of their life, their relationships after such an event? I appreciated how candid she was. This book will stay with me a while.... ( )

Abigail Thomas had only been married to husband Rich for a few years when he went out to walk the dog he never wanted to own. The dog broke free, and Rich went into the road to save him, and was hit by a car. Traumatic brain injury. The "nicest guy in the world" would never be the same.

Thomas writes this memoir about the very situation which has occupied the worry section of my brain since I got married: what happens when the guy you marry is no longer the guy you married - but you are still married to him? In Abigail and Rich's case, Rich now lives in institutional care and comes home for a once-a-week visit. Rich still loves Abigail, and it is wrenchingly apparent that Abigail still loves Rich - who weirdly retains his own unique personality despite his many many deficits. The memoir is slight and thin, but sufficient to bring Rich to life, and to give faint hints of the moral struggle involved in Abigail's deciding to have a life beyond Rich, while doing her best to give him the best life she can. I was really affected by the parts where Abigail has to lie to Rick to get him to do things; she is clearly a woman to whom even white lies are painful, yet she routinely lies to Rick to ease his loneliness and confusion. It's a reminder of something I have come to believe: that one doesn't achieve full adulthood until one is forced to choose, not between right and wrong, but between two "wrongs." Sad...but interesting.

Non-fiction easy read of a difficult life altered by an accident resulting in authors husband's brain injury. Abigail's writing style is uniquely interesting, few words stated creatively but still very simply. As the story is told the burden is easy to feel through her words yet Abigail's comfort with her new life seems to be strength also. Rick's jumbled comments and views on situations he should know nothing about was nothing short of amazing. ( )

From Amazon.com
87 of 89 people found the following review helpful:
Rave Review for A Three Dog Life, September 19, 2006
By O. Brown "Ms. O. Khannah-Brown"

*****
This book is sweet, poignant, and beautiful. It is also gut-wrenchingly honest and realistic about the author's attempts to cope with her life after her husband has a TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury). He gets hit by a car while walking their dog and their lives are never the same. This memoir is about the author's life and marriage after the accident and for the next five years, until the present day. I loved reading it. I haven't really ever read a book like it.

The author builds herself a life, accompanied by what ends up being three dogs altogether. She still takes joy in her marriage, such as it is. I wish I could put into words how beautiful this book is, but I can't. It is a lovely book with mature topics (grieving, survivor guilt, etc.) for adults or especially mature teens. Highest recommendations ( )

A Must read for "older folks" ( )