In many ways, I felt Martha Teichner had written this book for me. Our bull terrier Zosia died three months ago. When a friend had told me about “When Harry Met Minnie,” I had to buy it. After all, Harry could have been Zosia’s twin, just judging by the cover.
Anyone who has lost a beloved pet knows how heartwrenching the entire ordeal is. Since I had never owned a pet growing up, I sympathized with friends during their losses. Never had I truly understood the depth of such grief. Like Minnie, Zosia was a rescue, abandoned at an ASPCA shelter. Because she had run away twice, she was spayed and could not breed; thus, her owner did not want her. She also exhibited signs of abuse and was a mere 19 pounds. My son, who had been looking for just the right dog, did want her and the rest is history. He named her for his favorite polka, and the name certainly fit her personality. She typified the breed – stubborn, funny, and so lovable. We were lucky to have her in our lives for 13 ½ years, but this last year was difficult. She did not have cancer, but she suffered from many of the ailments Harry had – sensitive stomach, colitis, all sorts of bumps – but she remained spirited.
For me, Martha Teichner hit two sensitive issues – the loss of a pet and the loss of a friend. Three weeks before we lost Zosia, my brother unexpectedly passed away. Although he had survived cancer twice, he died within twelve hours after the diagnosis of an infected gallbladder and sepsis. He was my last sibling and I was devastated. When Zosia’s heart just gave out at the Emergency Vet Clinic that awful Monday morning, I felt my brother had taken her to keep him company, for he loved her as much as we had. I knew this was going to be a difficult read, and in spite of my own grief, I decided to read it anyway.
Very early into the book, I realized this was more than a story of dogs and friendships. It is about who we are as human beings and how we rise to help others in need because we love them. Teichner writes about coincidences and believes as I do that there are no coincidences. People and events are put in our paths for a reason and just like Frost’s “two paths,” our choices make “all the difference.” She makes her reader realize that such choices are worth the heartbreak, for they enrich our lives in ways we never realize at the time.
I cried profusely at the end of this book, mourning not only Carol and Harry, but the loss of my only brother and the dog that never tired of greeting me. Martha Teichner presents the reader with so many lessons, many difficult to face. She shows us how mortality is always peeking around the corner, indifferent to our plans. She reminds us to live in the present, to share the story of our lives with those we love. In the end, when Carol is faced with selling her valued possessions, the reader is reminded that those things are just that – the gear of life that must be left behind. But Carol doesn’t merely cast off her “stuff” – she bequeathes her most precious possessions to friends so they can enjoy what she loved, knowing a part of her is with them. We learn inheriting a good friend’s purse and the future telling of the story behind the purse assauges our grief!
When Harry Met Minnie is more than a simple story for dog lovers. As with all good stories, it is profound in its insightful depiction of the human condition and how love can make a difference – if are willing to take a chance.
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Reviews with images
Lipstick in the Wrong Color
I ordered Bobbi Brown lipstick in the color "Raisin," and received the color "Rose." O am very disappointed that they sent me the wrong color. The book is fine.
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Jacques Claude
Une merveilleuse histoire canine mais aussi une très belle histoire humaine.
Reviewed in France on April 8, 2021Kindle Customer
Beautifully written book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 28, 2023