I Thought You Were Dead

I had intended on hosting The Dog Days of Summer again this year, so when I saw the audiobook copy of I Thought You Were Dead by Pete Nelson offered up in LibraryThing's Early Reviewer's program, I requested it. I was excited when I snagged it and it arrived in April. I'd never snagged an audiobook before. As with much else in my life the second half of this year, Dog Days of Summer didn't materialize this summer and this audiobook slipped my mind. I didn't get around to listening to it until September.

I Thought You Were Dead begins with the premise that a man and his dog can actually speak to each other. The first time Josh Clark, the book's narrator, speaks in Stella's voice it was slightly awkward. I decided to suspend my disbelief show more and see where the story took me. I am so glad that I did. It didn't take long for Stella's voice to feel natural and necessary to me. I loved her. Any worries that I might have had that this novel would be too much like The Art of Racing in the Rain were put to bed immediately.

Paul's story of his broken marriage, his half-hearted career as a writer of "For Morons" books, his faraway family and ill father, his tenuous relationship with his current girlfriend and his other issues were interesting to me as well. Life doesn't always work out the way it's planned. This novel is about coming to grips with that realization and coming out the other side a stronger person. In that way, Stella's place in Paul's life falls somewhere between conscience and his inner voice. It all worked well for me.

I don't often all out cry when reading books. I Thought You Were Dead was the first audiobook to ever bring me to tears - three times in fact. If you love dogs, are entering your middle years, live far away from your family, consider your life a disappointment, or are human, you will find something for yourself in this book. I've never had a pet like Stella, but having such a wonderful dog love you must be one way the universe lets you know just how valuable you are.

If you listen to audiobooks, I found Josh Clark to be an engaging narrator.

Final Thoughts

The premise may seem risky at the outset, but if you're anything like me, it will be well worth it. show less

Paul Gustavson is at one of those crossroads we all face from time to time in which we get to choose to make changes and become happier or continue suffering from the consequences of our own actions (or inaction as the case may be). He's got a girlfriend he's afraid to ask more from (even though she's seeing someone else), a family he's estranged from (and doesn't want to be), and comforts himself by drinking too much and eating too much junk food. But that's okay, because he's also got Stella. His dog. Who gives him advice (really good advice--the kind you can take with you when you finish the book).

One of the things I love about this book is that Paul treats Stella's ability to talk to him like it's a matter of fact. He's not shocked show more by it, doesn't over analyze it, or profit from it. Stella just talks. And he just listens. What's more, no one else knows that she can talk and Paul doesn't try to tell them about it. In my estimation this is the best way to handle something this extraordinary.

The other thing I appreciate about it is the love that permeates it and how all the characters in it seem to be reaching for it, they just don't always know how to attain it.


This book also contains one of my all-time favorite quotes (slightly modified here as I had to trim it so it would fit on the back of my kindle cover). "The miracle was how love stayed, enduring and steadfast, loyal as the gentle beast who, ever at his side asked only to be included, fed, walked; giving in return more love than could be reasonably asked for, logically expected or credibly deserved."

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I thoroughly love this book! I don't give many 5-star ratings, but this one earned one. The author excels at writing about relationships and characters and the book was a joy to read.

The protagonist is a writer, caught in a bunch of midlife crises: he is divorced, his father has just had a stroke, his girlfriend is dating another man, and his dog is elderly and frail. The title of the book, in fact, refers to his dog, Stella, with whom he (and only he) converses. "Stella had no sense of permanence and therefore assumed Paul was dead whenever he was out of sight, hearing, or smell."

The book is incredibly funny, honest, and intelligent. It was a rare treat to find myself liking all of the characters, faults and all. I often found myself show more laughing, and almost as often, sobbing.

Recommended for anyone who likes dogs and love stories (parent/child, siblings, and romantic). Well, I'd recommend this for anyone. show less

This is a very sweet and winsome novel. Paul and his best friend Stella, who just happens to be a dog, have gone through life together as a little family of sorts. Paul is divorced, lonely and finds comfort at the local bar each night where Stella is allowed to hang out in the doorway. Paul is just passing time, his life is stagnant and he is envious of those who seem to have it all. He writes books for "Morons" for a living, kind of like the self help books for dummies. His self esteem is in the negative double digits.

Out of the blue Paul's father has a disabling stroke and Paul is forced to take a good look at his life and where exactly it is going. Through his relationship with his sometime girlfriend Tamsin, his wonderful dog and show more teacher Stella and his relationship with the bottle, Paul realizes that he must change if he wants the good life that he perceives others having. He learns slowly but surely with help from some online monosyllable text conversations with his father to step out of loser status by making small changes in attitude and to embrace life in the fullest. This is a bittersweet and delightful story of one man's path to personal wholeness.

I received this as an early reviewer audio book from Librarything.com and I can't speak highly enough of the narrator. Stella's voice was a delight and I thoroughly enjoyed the conversations Paul and Stella had.

Highly recommended, and not just for dog lovers (of which I am!) show less

I Thought You Were Dead is the latest book in the talking dog trend. I'm a dog lover and some of these books really work for me. While I can't say I loved this one, I did think that Stella was well written and believable.

Paul Gustavson is an immature, lost and lonely soul. He writes for the Moron series of books (think books for Dummies), sort of has a girlfriend, and is floating through life pretty directionless. When his father has a stroke it serves as a wake-up call for Paul and he starts trying to get his life together. Stella, his dog, gives him advice and support along the way.

While I really liked Stella and her voice, I mostly disliked Paul. He is so flaky in the beginning that it was hard for me to accept his dramatic show more turnaround. It was equally surprising when his family so easily accepted the new and improved Paul.

I listened to this book on audio and thoroughly enjoyed the narrator. Stella's voice was distinctive without being overdone and seemed to fit her personality perfectly. show less

I don't normally read such "touchy-feely-finding-oneself" books because usually they are just too sappy. This one is actually surprisingly addictive. I couldn't relate to Paul or his life or his relationships (girlfriend, family, dog) and yet I kept reading because I wanted to see whether or not he grew up, grew a pair, sorted out his life, and had a happy ending.

It is extraordinarily believable for a book that has a talking dog as a main character. One might think that this basic premise would make the book silly, but Stella acts/reacts exactly how one would expect a dog to act.

It is emotionally heavy and his and his girlfriend's behaviors had me frustrated (in a good way) throughout most of the story. She was just a bit too show more "holier-than-thou" for my taste. I also have a little dislike for the last 1/5 of the novel which took on an Alcoholics Anonymous flavor which was just a tad convenient and somewhat preachy. show less

Yet another father/son relationship, but this one states clearly that we are responsible for our own lives and how they turn out. Actually, this is more about relationships in general and about family dynamics. Older siblings can have as strong an impact as parents because of one's perceptions of them.

When I started I Thought You Were Dead, by Pete Nelson, I thought the title referred to Stella (the dog)'s sense that if her person was gone, he must be dead. It was how she greeted Paul, her owner, when he came home. Paul is a likable guy, but it was Stella who kept me reading. Paul was one of those nice guys who seems to need to be swatted with a rolled up newspaper at regular intervals. He tries too hard, but just doesn't get it; is show more likable, but self involved -- a very real person, actually.

I'm glad Stella kept me reading. The climax had me in tears, but the ending did not feel contrived. If I had known what to look for, I could have seen it coming. By the final chapter, the title, Stella's charming ability to talk, and pretty much all the loose ends come together and make sense. show less