I really enjoyed the flow of this book and the way Barry relayed the lessons he's learning from what seems to be a very laid back dog. We can all benefit from trying not to sweat the small stuff, and the stories in this book are delightful illustrations of that practice. The only criticism I have is with the structure - it is not easy to flip and find the footnotes in the kindle version, so I skipped a lot of them until the end of the chapter.

Barry, Dave. Lessons from Lucy: The Simple Joys of an Old Happy Dog. New York: Simon and Schuster, 2018.

Marley and Me. The Art of Racing in the Rain. Old Yeller. I’ll begin by admitting I’ve learned to be a bit gun-shy when it comes to dog books. As a dog mom, cat mom, and guinea pig aunt, I love all things furry, fragile, and apparently, short-lived. I often judge movies and television shows based on how the directors and characters treat the non-two-legged life within. I’ve also driven by a car accident and hoped no pets were injured in the crash. (Don’t worry, I said a little prayer for the human occupants, albeit later down the road). It was not without some trepidation that I began reading Dave Barry’s Lessons from Lucy: The Simple Joys of an Old Happy Dog. My biggest fear was it would be yet another sweet book extolling canine love, trust, and fidelity, ending with a body count. A heartwarming romp that ends with me doing the full-body Oprah-Style ugly cry on my sofa, shredding tissues, and generally scaring the bejeezus out of anyone within a ten-mile radius.

Thank God this is not one of those books.

Barry does not shy away from bringing up the truth all pet owners know: whatever time we have with our adopted family members is never quite enough. The same goes for our non-adopted family members, however. Barry’s take is we should remember to enjoy life while we are living it and love others while they are alive to know and feel it. Comparing Lucy’s modus operandi with his own, Barry shows how his old, happy dog Lucy teaches him how to be a better human simply by being unapologetically and unashamedly a dog. Every living being, regardless of their number of legs, teaches you something: the best teach you how to be a better you. How wonderful to recognize the lessons before the teacher is gone; to have the chance to feel, love, see, treat, and do better now. My beagle, drowsily licking his leg beside me on the couch, agrees. At least, I think he does. He stopped licking between his toes long enough to lick my arm, fart, then turn over and go back to sleep, his short legs beating staccato on my hip as he chases puppy dreams in the afternoon sun. That’s good enough for me.

I’ve always loved Dave Barry. I bet Lucy’s a lovely dog. Great stories, and great tips. We should all be like Lucy.

Also, if Dave wants to unload some of those camera lenses, heyyyy! lol

Author Dave Barry wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for the Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. I read most of them and especially enjoyed his year-in-review feature.

Dave has also written numerous books of humor and parody, and has won prestige awards and honors.

And now I’m going to review his latest book, Lessons from Lucy?

Why not? Just like him, I have a sweet dog, I get impatient standing behind clueless people in line and 70 is my next milestone birthday.

While we know more than our dogs, dogs can still teach us. And one thing they know more about is how to be happy. Dave shares his dog Lucy’s gems with us.

Dave’s quips and knack with words plus his soul-searching wisdom, such as learning about smelling the asparagus metabolite in urine did not distract me from the taking in the merits of Lucy’s seven Life Lessons. Lucy is right- Don’t Stop Having Fun and Pay Attention to the People You Love. Thanks, Lucy. (And another vegetable got a shout-out in the book, as Dave informed us that these veggies are actually the severed heads of Martian fetuses.)

Dave confesses that he is skeptical about self-help books and so he intended this book to be a funny book about dogs, people and life in general. It is.

I didn’t so much read the book- I laughed and gasped and then cornered the folks in my house and read them the latest funny bit.

Dave is a national treasure. So is Lucy. Thanks for a wonderful book.


Thanks to NetGalley and publisher Simon & Schuster for an ARC.

All dog owners can relate to the descriptions of behavior and life lessons. Haven't we all wondered what our pet is thinking and how simple their lives are? How many times has someone told you they want to come back as your dog? Unconditional love and taken care of without fail! Simple,common sense musings that most of us over 50 have thought in passing. Don't wait until you are over 50 to read this book though, it's an easy read, thought provoking and laugh out loud funny.

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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Before I say anything else, Barry has set up an Instagram page (well, probably not him, actually -- he states in the book he doesn't understand Instagram) for his dog, Lucy. You should absolutely check it out and then come back to read what I have to say about the book. Dog Pictures > my blog. Pretty near always.

With that out of the way . . . Dave Barry has been a dog person for most of his life, one of the many reasons I like him. I distinctly, and fondly, remember columns and/or references to Earnest and Zippy (the emergency backup dog) years ago. Those two make a brief appearance in this book, but they aren't the focus. The focus (if you can't tell from the title) is his dog, Lucy. At the time of writing, Barry and Lucy are the same age -- 70 (or 7 times 10 in her case), which means that both of them have many fewer days ahead of them than behind -- which sounds awfully morbid for Dave Barry to talk about, but he does so frequently and purposefully.

As they're at similar stages in life, Barry notices a huge difference between the two -- Lucy is far happier and seemingly better adjusted than he is. So he sets out to try to learn a few lessons about life from her, which he passes on to his readers. Things like Pay Attention to the People You Love; Don't Let Your Happiness Depend on Things; and Don't Stop Having Fun. None of these, Barry knows, are original or ground-breaking -- they're pretty much common sense. Yet, they're the kind of common sense things that he (like many/most humans) doesn't actually do a great job at.

The result is a mixture of a Self-Help book and a Humor book -- humor about himself, his life, as well as dogs. Sometimes the swing between the two genres can be jarring, but that's pretty rare. For the most part, he moves easily between the two, taking the readers along with him on this ride. I can't tell you how many times I went from grinning, chuckling or laughing out loud to getting misty-eyed within a couple of pages. It seems that Barry has learned a little bit about writing over the decades.

I've loved Barry's humor longer than either of us would probably care to admit. One of his strengths is finding a way to take an old joke, or at least a joke everyone's made before -- like, say, I dunno, dogs sniffing each other's hind-quarters -- and make it feel fresh and new. More importantly, funny. He's also able to make jumps from premise to punchline that no one expects. There is, for example, a Hugh Hefner joke where one doesn't even come close to belonging -- and it works perfectly. Even knowing that, you won't see it coming until you're snickering at it.

As for the heart-felt material? It works pretty well, too. I don't think anyone will walk away from this book thinking "Wow! That was insightful. I never would have thought of it on my own!" Nor do I think Barry was trying for it. But, readers will appreciate the reminders to live like Lucy (or their own dog), and the way Barry phrases things might add some freshness to the concept. Which is all anyone can really ask.

I really don't know if this is Barry's best -- but it's up there. The ratio of Attempted Joke to Funny Joke is pretty high, I'm not sure if I can think of a higher one in his ouvre. Lessons From Lucy is, without a doubt, his most mature, thoughtful and touching work (that's a pretty low bar, I realize -- a bar he's worked hard to keep low, too). Couple that with me being a sucker for a Dog Book -- even if it is a semi-Self Help book -- and I can't help but give it 5 Stars. This is a winner, no matter what.


Disclaimer: I received this eARC from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley in exchange for this post -- which is my honest opinion and pleasure to give -- thanks to both for this.

You should read this book if you're getting older, like sarcasm, didn't know that Dave Barry plays in a band with Stephen King, live or have lived in Florida (especially in Hurricane season), or even if you own a dog. Any of these are good enough reasons to read this book.

I have read a few books and countless articles from Dave Barry. While his humor is not always on mark, I do find him entertaining and sometimes I actually learn something. This book was no different. I found myself nodding and relating to him even though I am still a few decades younger than him. While his lessons are not amazing or even original, as he tells us several times, it is always good to have a gentle reminder of basically just be a good person and do the right thing. It seems there is a lot to learn about life from my dog.

From the scatological to the sublime, Dave Barry delights with an amusing and heartwarming self-help book. Informed by a sense of his own mortality and inspired by his wise dog Lucy, the author shares simple lessons on how to increase your capacity for happiness, be mindful, love better, and have fun in your life. He does all of this while still being hilarious. Doggone funny!

Let me first confess that I love Dave Barry and have for years. He’s always made me laugh, sometimes out loud, sometimes quietly.
Lessons from Lucy is pure joy. Anyone who has ever been owned by an animal will understand all the lessons and love the way Dave presents them.
Thank you, Dave Barry. And tank Lucy for me.

Really, really liked this book. I am a dog lover and was interested to see what the book would be like. I can totally relate to the lessons learned from "Lucy". This is a good read for dog lovers everywhere and even non-dog people. Would highly recommend.

I received an advance reader copy of this book which in no way influenced my review of this book.

This is a hilarious book, well worth reading. It is an excellent addition to the literature about happiness, but illustrated using stories about Dave Barry's dog, Lucy, along with the always hilarious comedy of Dave Barry, comedy which is silly and juvenile and ridiculous and snot spewing (which is not a bad thing). The book is a real fun read, and is also insightful. A real pleasure and, I think, the funniest book of the year (and I read a lot of funny books). If you want to laugh, if you like psychology, if you are somewhere in mid life (I am 66), if you enjoy a book that will make you laugh out loud, this is for you. Really terrific.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review this book. I went into it thinking it was all about Lucy the dog but got so much ,ore out of it. The book is funny, relatable & thought provoking. I related to the stories Dave told. We ALL can learn so much from animals especially our pets. Thanks for the reminder in this book. I will be telling my book club about this book.

I've always enjoyed reading Dave Barry's work and this is no exception. I'l admit, I requested the book based on the cover - who could resist Lucy's beautiful face. While the 7 lessons are obvious, they are told with love and humor and are a good reminder for all of us to find our inner "happy dog".

I have always enjoyed Dave Barry and this new book does not disappoint!! It is insightful, wise, and HILARIOUS. Dave captures the essence of "growing older" and gives some well worked suggestions for the "journey"!! I am so looking forward to this book being published......I have a long list of friends and relatives who will be receiving a copy from me. My only criticism is that some of the chapters seem a bit short.....I would have liked more examples. Also there needs to be a warning label about the amount of laughing the reader will do.....it can lead to sore tummy muscles and significant others wondering if you are having a fit!!

Cute, funny "self help" book that doesn't take itself too seriously. Fun, quick read. I enjoyed the comparisons between Lucy's world and our own and I believe Lucy has a lot of knowledge to share.

Lessons From Lucy: The Simple Joys of an Old, Happy Dog by Dave Barry is a book I requested from NetGalley and the review is voluntary.
This book is so full of warmth, love, tenderness, humor, insight, and just good old common sense! His writing flows with wit and wisdom, love and memories, hope and a canine spirit. He gives lessons he has, and is learning from his elderly dog Lucy. Each lesson is something we all could work on. They each are heavily sprinkled with humor and common sense. Some are more emotional than others. This is a must buy book for yourself, for dog lovers, for those getting older, for those that think they have everything! Terrific book!

Any new Dave Barry book is a treat. This one was, as usual, very funny, but also touching. He did a clever job of interweaving attributes of his dog with attributes he'd like to have. The great thing is, the dog is winning! Immediately after I read this book, the murders at the newspaper in Annapolis happened, and Dave Barry's column was a tribute to the reporters who died. It is a testament to his skill as a writer that he is able to be screamingly funny in his books and columns, and sober and grieving in the proper context. I also was delighted to learn that he considers himself an introvert. I suspect that's true of a good number of comedians and humor writers. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good laugh.

I've always enjoyed Dave Barry's humor, but he seems a little grumpier than usual in this one. But I'm a dog person so it still kept me reading. Barry recounts 11 "life lessons" that he's learned from his older dog, Lucy, which he mixes in with anecdotes from his life and career. Barry's struggles (dealing with Comcast, relating to his wife, diversity training at work) are all very relatable. My only disappointment about the book is that the stories revolve around too much about the author and I would have prefered much more about Lucy herself.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for a review.

What happens when a cynical, retired Pulitzer-prize winning journalist who hates self-help books writes about life lessons from his elderly dog, and realizes he's written a self-help book? He taps into the wry and intelligent sense of humor that launched his career in the first place, and we get to enjoy Dave Barry’s “Lessons from Lucy: The Simple Joys of an Old, Happy Dog.”

This is not a memoir, God forbid ("memoir" is a more off-putting word than "succubus" for me). And it really is not a self-help book, but it could be if you let it. Barry observed his happy, carefree dog Lucy, asked himself why he can't be more like her, and came up Seven Lessons to convey in this book. Because we know headlines with numbered lists attract more reader attention, and "Secrets" - to happiness, to success, to skeletons in the closet - also lure us in. "The Dog's Seven Secrets to Happiness In Our Old Age." You know it will be comical, with Dave Barry writing it, but what you don't know are Dave's own secrets. Like, shy? For reals? I'm not saying any more on that, because you need to buy this book yourself. Rave about it to friends.

In “Lesson One: Make New Friends,” the dog can bound over to any stranger, sniff, and fall in love, while Dave “instantly hates” strangers. (We all do, really, but most of us don't allow our conscious selves in on THAT secret.) Barry's reasons for his varying levels of antipathy toward strangers are hilarious and familiar to us all. You will nod knowingly. Oh yes. You will.

Because this is Dave Barry, nothing about this book, not even "self help" and "lessons", will disappoint. I've missed his columns and only bought one of his books (I know, I should own every single one of them), and I'm a huge fan of dogs as well as cynical witty guys. And I'm a cynical gal, so I braced myself in case the 70-year-old Barry is as washed up as old rock stars like, uh, let's see... not Robert Plant, not Jagger, but.... well, I can't even think of rock legends who aren't cool any more.

I have just one complaint about this book. I found the Rock Bottom Remainders on you-tube, and this band of novelists (Stephen King, for one, and Dave Barry himself) are not even remotely as terrible as Barry tells us they are. Self-effacing humor can be misleading. These authors-turned-musicians may not have made the Top 40 or even #100 on the pop charts, but they're good. Maybe that's the way to promote: get everyone thinking "This sounds so awful, I've got to see for myself," than bowl them over with actual talent.

Dave Barry is still cool. He's still hilarious. There is hope for this world! He says he's a curmudgeon, annoyed by texting teenagers and Facebook, but he's forever in my mind that college guy who'd join friends and throw an old TV off a roof to shatter on the sidewalk below-and the moral of the story is that women hear this and say "Why?" while men hear this and say "Cool!"

I tried to find that column before writing this review, but it was in some newspaper when I was young and single, and now I'm a mother of three, a grandmother of two, and I'm getting phone calls from purveyors of those "Help! I've fallen and I can't get up!" gadgets. And I got distracted by a dozen new Talking Dogs and sad-cat videos before finding my way back to the writing of a book review about this author who wrote a hilarious column about men's idea of fun versus women's. Hence, the TV anecdote that so perfectly distills and displays the epitome of guy humor.

For more than two decades, Barry wrote a syndicated humor column for the Miami Herald. He's written more than 30 books, most of them humorous non-fiction works. I've always wondered if his fiction would be as funny as his columns. (I've met novelists who are hilarious on Twitter or in emails but in prose, dry as White Sands.) For now, a new book by Dave Barry (with dogs as a theme!) is just the ticket. I'd have given copies away for Father's Day to all the friends my age who've become grandparents, but the release date is.... 23 October 2018. Dang. Some of them may be dead by then. My peers are dwindling, not because I'm a peerless writer but because too many people my age are dying of something, and I need all the humor books and cat videos I can find to get going after reading Obits each morning.

So, three more months to buy the book I just read and loved. That's the downside of getting to be first to read an ARC: the long, long wait until you can buy copies for your friends!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I will write a longer review with excerpts showing how funny this book really is, but I'm in a holding pattern wondering how many people ever read my longer reviews. How many people will pre-order this book, or even download a free sample chapter, based on Carol's word? Millions ought to, but the world is like my offspring: my words of wisdom roll like raindrops off a freshly waxed car. You wait. One day your car will be stalled and as you wait for a tow truck you'll WISH you had this book to amuse you! Ha! And I will say, "If only they'd listened to Carol, and bought the book, and kept a copy in their man purse or their car or their sled dog's packs."

My copy is in my Kindle, which would freeze if I ever make it to an Iditarod, but just because I'm a grandma now doesn't mean I'm getting sidetracked again about why this book matters and deserves to top the charts that The Rock Bottom Remainders aren't even trying for, because they're just having fun, and that's the whole point. HAVE FUN!! Your dog would. So should we all!

Like Dave Barry, I’m a dog person. I’ve had dogs for most of my life and cannot conceive of living without one. They are truly creatures of joy and are always a delight, except when they chew one of your prized books or pee in the house. But these are small prices to pay for such a happy, sweet and loving friend.

Dave takes us through seven lessons he has learned from his 11 year old dog Lucy. Interspersed throughout and between these lessons are related and unrelated observations on life plus some amusing anecdotes. You will get Dave’s thoughts on such diverse topics as diversity training, Comcast (which Dave lovingly calls Bomcast) customer service, hurricane preparedness, when lying is permissible, and more.

Dave Barry is funny — no question about it and you will chuckle, snicker and laugh out loud while reading this book. But hidden among the fun and hilarity are nuggets of wisdom that have the potential to improve our lives. Lessons from Lucy is a fun quick read that will make you laugh and then laugh some more plus learn some invaluable life advice from a mixed-breed dog.

Dave Barry is a very talented writer, having won a Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1988. For twenty-two years, Barry wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for the Miami Herald. He is the author of more than 30 books with the bulk of them being humorous non-fiction works.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.