When Harry Met Minnie is one of the most touching, heartfelt novels I've ever read. Not only is it a book about dogs for dog lovers, it's a book about people for people lovers.

Martha Teichner, a CBS news correspondent, tells the true story of a love affair between her dog, Minnie, and Harry, both of whom are Bull Terriers. Ms. Teichner meets and gives Harry a loving home when she finds that his owner is dying of cancer and needs a safe place and a caring person to keep him when she's gone.

So Harry meets Minnie, and Martha meets Carol. A beautiful, amazing friendship blooms among them all, in the magical city of New York. This is such a wonderful story, full of fun and coincidences and love and bittersweet pain. If you love dogs, if you love people, and maybe even if you don't, you may find a bit of dust in your eyes as you read this story. I wept openly at the beauty and sadness of it all, and smiled in between the tears.

5 stars for this wonderful book.

This book was beautiful. Life and death and friendship and loyalty and love and dogs, I loved it. 5 stars and I will read anything else this author puts out!

When Harry Met Minnie is the story of two bull terriers. It's a story of love and loss and friendship, and all of the emotions in between.

Minnie is a bull terrier belonging to Martha Teichner. Martha and Minnie have been mourning the death of Goose, Minnie's bull terrier companion, when Martha begins to consider adopting another companion for Minnie.

A chance meeting with an old acquaintance at the farmers market leads Martha to Harry, a bull terrier belonging to Carol Fertig. Carol is terminally ill and looking for a home for Harry. Carol and Martha begin to introduce Harry and Minnie.

You'll need to read the book to learn the rest of the story. Although sad, it's beautifully written. I would highly recommend this title to any dog lover!

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this book from Net Galley.

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When Harry Met Minnie // written by Martha Teichner

If you know anything about me then you know I can't resist a good memoir and you also know that I can't resist a good book about dogs. That being said, you know I just HAD to jump at the chance to read this one! While I've only met one bull terrier in real life so far, that was still enough to make me want to learn more about the breed and to know that I just would not be able to skip over this book. Combined with the adorable title and cover, I was, of course, a goner.

So obviously this is a story for dog lovers but, as the description of the book already stated, this is a story of not just love but also loss. It is also a story of coincidences, relationships, highs and lows, and so many other things in between. Teichner managed to take me on the trip of a lifetime with her book in ways that I did not expect at all. Not only did I learn a ton about bull terriers but also about how chance encounters can change your life in myriad ways. She even made this big city hater feel wistful about New York City! I laughed and I cried while reading this. The author really knows how to tell a good story, which of course isn't surprising after learning about her profession.

But I do have to say that it was a little disappointing that pretty much all of her focus was on someone else's life and the dogs. I don't mind the dog focus as much as this is obviously supposed to be a dog story but it would have been nice if she had brought herself into the book a little bit more rather than just glossing over the more personal things. I am a lover of human stories after all. Overall though, this was an incredible read that I am glad I happened upon.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story for dog lovers...and so much more. The author, Martha Teichner, is a dog lover (clearly) but also an award winning journalist who has lived all over the world, traveled much, and is very much a New Yorker. This book is very thoughtfully written, and will get the reader thinking about all sorts of things - far beyond the dogs in their life. It is part memoir, part dog love story, part tribute to New York City but it is also about what it means to be human and all of the bonds we form - with people and pets, the treasures we collect along the journey, the places we live and how we hurt when any of those bonds get broken. Told with clarity and humor and warmth this is also a story about coping with death by cancer as well as how deeply seemingly random events can change our lives. A deeply felt, very well-written story for dog lovers...New Yorkers and everyone else.

A true story about CBS news correspondent,Martha Teichner, and her Bull Terrier dogs. As one of her pets dies ,Martha looks for another dog to be a companion to her remaining dog ,Minnie. A chance encounter leads her to Carol and her dog Harvey. Carol is dying from cancer and looking for a home for her beloved dog. A story full of love and friendship.Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Martha was out for her walk with her dog Minnie. She ran into a friend Steven who was more of an acquaintance who asked her if she would consider adopting another Bull Terrier. Minnie is Bull Terrier who has lost her pal Goose ( also a Bull Terrier). Martha leans that the owner is dying from cancer and searching for a good home for her beloved Bull Terrier. Martha meets Carol at her apartment. After meeting a few times, she has Carol’s dog Harry meet Minnie. As time goes on Martha gets to know more and more about Carol and Harry. Harry spends more time with Minnie and then they start having overnight visits. When Carol can’t take care of Harry anymore, she has Harry stay with Martha and Minnie.

I’ve tried to give a brief annotation of this memoir without telling too much. The memoir gave me laughter and tears while reading it. It’s amazing to see the friendship between the dogs bides Martha and Carol. It’s a fantastic memoir of two women’s friendship and the dogs friendship. This is a book I won’t forget.

I received this book as are ARC from NetGalley.

The author is the muliti-EMMY award winning journalist currently on CBS Sunday Morning. I always find the stories she airs very interesting and insightful. I was hoping her book would be the same and I was not let down.

I did she her short story on CBS Sunday Morning she did promoting her book, so I knew this story would tug at the heartstrings. I also had to read this book because I wanted the rest of the story.

Chance encounters, that what life is. Martha tells the story of her beloved bull terriers and how she came to adopt Harry. The story is a beautiful narrative of back and forth explaing life's encounters.

Martha Teichner is an excellent storyteller. She painted wonderful word pictures about New York City for this reader who has never been to the Big Apple. Despite the title, her memoir really wasn't about Harry or Minnie, My big takeaway was the importance of adult friendship, or heart friends as I like to call them. New best friends aren't only made on the playground or in the classroom, they can be unexpected gifts even after we are of "a certain age." Friendship develops between people who have something in common... like their love of dogs, for example. There were some aspects of the book I didn't care for, though. First, as a dog lover, it was tough to read through her revolving door of passing pets. Some things I just don't want to dwell upon. Second, Carol's deteriorating health was depressing, her drawn out death was depressing, and the aftermath was depressing. Life is too short. Third, I found the author and her celebrated friends to be pretentious. Still, the writing was excellent and for a certain type of reader, it would have been very enjoyable. It just wasn't for me. 3.5 stars.

Martha Teichner agrees to (sort of) take in the dog, Harry, of a dying woman, Carol Fertig. The dog is the same breed as her beloved bull terrier, Minnie. What follows is the story of a friendship between the two women and, of course, the two dogs. At first there is a bit of reluctance/shyness between the dogs, but that grows fainter and fainter as time goes on. On the other hand, a friendship springs up between the two women, which grows stronger and stronger. Their lives become intertwined through the bull terriers. However, Carol’s illness and her soon-to-be end is never far out of sight. Their love and friendship grows around the two dogs that have brought them together. The bond between them changes Marth’s life, Carol’s life, Harry’s life, and Minnie’s life, as time progresses.

This is truly a wonderful story. I thoroughly enjoyed watching all four characters bond so well. Naturally, Harry and Minnie were cute dogs, who both stole my heart almost from the get-go. I loved watching how the two who went from being total strangers to best friends in the story, while their owners also followed this route. The story is truly about love and friendship and being open to what comes your way. I enjoyed it so much that I would give it more than five starts if I could. If you are a dog lover, this is definitely for you. However, be prepared because it can be sad and emotionally draining, so keep the tissues handy. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

I'm trying to get more memoirs in my life, so when I heard about When Harry Met Minnie, by CBS correspondent Martha Teichner, I jumped at the chance to read it! What made it even more desirable, was that it was about dogs, and… well…. I love dogs! 


We start this book by meeting Minnie, a Bull Terrier dog owned by Martha. Minnie was having a lot of difficulty, because her canine companion, Goose, had recently passed away, and she was lonely without the friendship. Martha loosely put out feelers, searching for an older, male bull terrier, to help fill that gap left by Goose's death.


Enter Harry… Harry's owner, Carol, is dying of cancer. Carol was extremely concerned about what would happen to Harry after her death, since he was high needs (many MANY medical problems) and she was fearful that no one would be able to take him. They were connected by a friend of a friend, and the ensuing courtship of Minnie and Harry (their words!) and the friendship forged by Martha and Carol will warm your heart. 


While to story will warm your heart, it is not all rainbows and unicorns. There are sad parts, and happy parts. This story made me laugh (as a fellow terrier owner, I know many of the traits of his group that Martha talks about!) and it made me cry. Honestly, not everything ends happily in this story, but it will warm your heart in the telling of it.


This book, while definitely written on the premise of a dog story, is truly a friendship story. Martha and Carol don't know each other, and in a few short months, forge an intense relationship themselves. This story is about them as well. Their relationship is also a highlight of the book… Getting to know Carol, through Martha's eyes was well worth the read.


This book was heartwarming and special. I am trying to read more memoirs, and this one was a fabulous one to read. I was entertained and engaged the whole time. A big complaint that I have about memoirs is that I'll get engaged in a topic, and then the author will shift gears and talk about something that I'm less interested in. I was engaged in Minnie and Harry's story throughout, and the story was told in such a linear fashion it was easy to follow and engage with. I loved their story, and I'm sure (as a dog lover) it will stay with me for a long time.

Martha Teichner live in New York. She is a correspondent for CBS News, working on Sunday Morning. She loves Bull Terriers (BTs). And she has an exceptionally big heart.

Martha had wanted a dog all her life, but her job as news correspondent involved lots of travel, often to countries at war, and having a dog just wasn’t practical. But once she get a little older, and her life got a little more settled, she finally found herself dreaming of finding a dog. She was living in London at the time and would look through the want ads, trying to decide what kind of dog to get.

And then she saw it: the ad for Bull Terrier puppies. The first one she picked out was beautiful, a perfect specimen of the breed. And it was spoken for. So she looked at the puppies again and saw one who had spirit, who was a little mischievous. That was the puppy for her.

That was the first of several Bull Terriers in her life.

After living for many years in New York, Martha and BT Minnie were getting by all right. They had recently lost the third in their family, BT Goose, who had lived a good life. They were sad but trying to move forward. Then, in those magical times in life when all the dominoes all seem to fall into a magical pattern, Martha found herself being asked to consider taking in another Bull Terrier. Harry was not young, and he had more than his share of medical issues, but his owner Carol was dying of cancer, and she needed to be sure he would be taken care of.

Martha wasn’t sure about taking on another dog, especially one with issues, but she did agree to meet with Carol. Her life was never the same.

Carol Fertig was an artist, a designer, a decorator, and a true shining star. She collected objects of beauty and art, and she collected friends who were devoted to her effervescent spirit. She too was a lover of BTs, and she wanted to make sure that Harry would find a happy, loving home for when she could no longer take care of him. Enter Martha, and Minnie. When the two women and the two dogs finally got to meet, the chemistry was real. Harry fell in love with Minnie instantly, and Martha fell for Carol and Harry.

As the women got to know each other better, arranging for play dates and sleepovers for the dogs, they developed a warm friendship, the kind of friendship that would have lasted for decades if given the chance. Harry and Minnie, meanwhile, loved their time together, curling up for naps and playing together. It was as if it were all meant to be.

When Harry Met Minnie is the love story of two Bull Terriers who immediately become best of friends. It is heart-warming and uplifting, a love letter to every pet and their owner, a reminder of how much joy and love and fun they add to our lives.

But as much as it’s an uplifting love story, it’s also a painful reminder that life is fragile and can be taken away too quickly. The heartbreak of Carol’s death is very real, even for those of us who only got to know her through the stories on these pages. She was clearly a woman with a beautiful soul and a magical life. She was smart and stylish and gifted, and I’m sorry I didn’t get to know her sooner. But I am grateful for Martha and the memories she shared with us, by letting Carol and Harry into her heart and sharing those moments with us all.

When Harry Met Minnie is a beautiful book, from beginning to end. But it will break your heart over and over. I recommend you read it, but do it with your pets close by to get lots of hugs and snuggles. You will need them.

Egalleys for When Harry Met Minnie were provided by Celadon Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

You might think that When Harry Met Minnie by Martha Teichner is a book about dogs. It is more a book about people who love dogs and how lives can be changed if you follow your heart. Martha Teichner, correspondent for CBS Sunday Morning, has written a memoir about friendship, the human kind and the animal kind. When the author was making her weekly visit to a farmer’s market, accompanied by her bull terrier, Minnie, she was approached by an acquaintance she had not seen for quite a while. He asked if she might be interested in possibly adopting a male bull terrier. His friend who was dying of cancer was looking for a loving home for her dog Harry. The story that ensues will make you laugh and cry and sometimes both at the same time. This is a lesson in living and a lesson in dying. The memoir starts with serendipity and leads to friendship. It is a beautiful memoir, one that stays with you for a long time. Highly recommended. Thank you to Celadon Books, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a book of friendship. Love of dogs. Losing a great friend. I loved this book. Martha was wonderful in her writing. The stories of Harry, Minnie, and Carol touched my heart.

Written by CBS Sunday Morning correspondent Martha Teichner, When Harry Met Minnie details Teichner’s experience adopting the beloved dog of a woman dying of cancer. As if the premise were not a tipoff, Teichner warns from the beginning that the story, set in New York City, will be sad, and she does not spare readers the heart-wrenching moments.

The story begins when Stephen, a farmer’s market acquaintance, tells Teichner about a friend, Carol Fertig, with terminal cancer who needs a home for her elderly bull terrier. Teichner, a regular at the market, is well known as the mom of one or more bull terriers of her own. These unusual, long-snouted dogs make an impression. Teichner writes, “Four different times, I’ve been asked if my dog was an anteater.”

Teichner lost her male bull terrier, Goose, months earlier, leaving her with Minnie, a white female with all the classic “BT” qualities: opinionated, stubborn, exuberant, and silly. Teichner and Minnie are both still missing Goose when Stephen proposes that she adopt Fertig’s dog, Harry. The idea rattles but intrigues Teichner, who tentatively agrees to a meeting.

The women exchange emails and arrange a first date for Harry and Minnie, Fertig and Teichner. Of the two couples, the women seem more destined to become friends. The dogs sit on the stoop with their butts to each other.

Teichner learns that Fertig is a well-known designer and artist whose apartment was featured in Elle Décor and who designed a coat in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She had the misfortune of living close to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, resulting in exposure to toxins that caused cancer.

Despite the women’s fascination with their dogs—Teichner keeps an au pair for Minnie, and Fertig created a coat of arms for Harry—readers will likely find the humans more interesting in this tale. What leaves a mark on Teichner is not so much her relationship with the dogs, or their friendship with each other, but her time with Fertig.

Teichner describes Fertig vividly. “She was arresting, with her nearly nonexistent eyebrows carefully penciled in, with her very red lipstick, her long face, long nose.” Fertig also has a flair for dressing, on one occasion wearing “a white eyelet A-line skirt, a black top, white, fifties-movie-star-style cat-eye sunglasses, and a turned-down sailor hat.”

Teichner quotes Fertig’s email correspondence through the book, an entertaining way to give readers a sense of Fertig’s charming exuberance and humor. Email from Fertig: “Harry once took a $25 stuffed sheep from Duane Reed . . . I paid for it of course. He shook it wildly all the way home. RESTRICTED!”

While the women develop a warm relationship, Teichner still harbors deep concerns about adopting Harry, a high-maintenance “money pit,” according to Fertig. However, Fertig soon becomes too sick to care for the dog, and by default he moves to Teichner’s house.

When not on assignment at CBS or caring for the dogs, Teichner takes shifts at the hospital with Fertig’s inner circle, an eclectic mix of younger women and gay men. The two women’s similarities are not lost on Teichner: “Substitute Martha for Carol. I could have been the one dying of cancer. A single woman, alone, with a beloved dog nobody wanted.”

It’s easy to suppose that the women’s bull terriers have substituted for family. “Every BT person I’ve ever met admits to liking that these animals are subversive by nature,” Teichner writes. Fertig and Teichner have led subversive lives themselves. Of an era when women were still expected to marry and raise families in lieu of working, they came to New York City and built enduring careers.

Teichner shares deeply personal details of Fertig’s life—learned from Fertig and second-hand from her friends—but is less willing to open up about herself. She glides over the surface, occasionally dropping details that invite more exploration. She confesses to Fertig that she has never married, “although not by choice.”

Teichner leaves these complicated human topics unmined, instead trying to fit her narrative into the dog-meets-dog mold, with only moderate success. The dogs certainly have their moments: Harry does a bowl-flipping trick that could have gone viral, and Minnie comically burrows into the laundry bin. But theirs is a fairly mundane friendship, not a love affair.

What this book says about human relationships redeems its weakness as a dog story: Fertig asks a big favor of Teichner, but it is Teichner who gains more.

This memoir is great for animal lovers. Pets become a part of our family and this is portrayed beautifully in this story of love, loss and friendship.

When Harry Met Minnie: A True Story of Love and Friendship by Martha Teichner

My thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read and review When Harry Met Minnie.

When I started reading When Harry Met Minnie and even upon initially finishing it, I thought it to be a simple and beautiful book. Then, in preparation to writing this review, I outlined all of the themes I found in the book, I realized that, even thought it is simply and beautifully written, there are layer upon layer upon layer of meaning in this book.

On the surface, it is the true story of two older career women who are devoted dog owners brought to a friendship by a chance encounter of one of the women with a friend of the other woman. It is also the story of the friendship and devotion that develops between the two dogs who own these women. And it is also the story of an individual and her friends, both human and canine, facing the end of a terminal illness and moving on from that.

#NetGalley #WhenHarryMetMinnie #CeladonBooks

Peeling back the layers, the reader learns about friendship, commitment, the pull of modern life, aging and illness, being open to new experiences and people, suffering and dignity, death and grief, and legacy; not only among humans but within the dog world.

The author, Martha Teichner, is a television journalist based in New York who has traveled and lived all over the world for her long and illustrious career. I appreciated her clear journalistic style and could see her Midwestern roots coming through in her common sense style. Although I have never visited New York City, I felt the flavor of the great city come through in every chapter.

This book sits alongside Tuesdays with Morrie for humans and Lucy and the Octopus for our pets. I highly recommend it to anyone, but most especially to dog owners.

This was an incredibly heartwarming story. I have a soft spot for animal-related memoirs and this one ranks up there among the top for me. It was a wonderful combination of love, loss, friendship, and laughter.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This was a very touching, though sad, memoir. A chance meeting at a farmer's market in NYC ultimately brings together two special women. Each loves her bull terrier, but one of the women is dying of cancer and needs a new home for her beloved pet. As the book progresses, the two women form a special friendship as their dogs grow closer to each other.

The memoir illustrates the special bonds that form: people to people, people to pets, and, even, pets to pets. No price can be put on these relationships.

When Harry Met Minnie was a beautiful story by Martha Teichner, a CBS news correspondent, and is more than just a book about dogs. I did a combo of ebook and audiobook for this one, and Martha Teichner's story was so captivating! She narrated the audiobook herself, I love when that happens!

The story starts with Martha searching for an older Bull Terrier to adopt; one of hers had just passed away. Through a chance encounter, she meets an old friend and he puts her in touch with one of his close friends named Carol. Recently diagnosed with terminal cancer, Carol is looking for someone to adopt her Bull Terrier, Harry, not a small feat due to his age and high maintenance care. Martha agrees to meet Carol and Harry, and they slowly introduce her dog, Minnie as well.

What follows are beautiful friendships, sadness, loss, and hope. I adored this memoir, and Martha's love of the Bull Terrier Breed was evident throughout the book. Be sure to have tissues on hand!