Birdie & Harlow : life, loss, and loving my dog so much I didn't want kids (-- until I did)

Title:

Author:

Wolfe, Taylor, author.

Personal Author:

Wolfe, Taylor, author.

ISBN:

9780063293816

Edition:

First edition.

Physical Description:

272 pages ; 23 cm

Abstract:

"Birdie & Harlow is the story of a baby and a dog. But motherhood is never quite that simple. In Taylor Wolfe's case, it's a long, zigzagging and winding road. Meant to be a last-minute anniversary gift for her then boyfriend (and now husband), the highly-energetic and loud-mouthed Vizla puppy named Harlow turns out to be the best snap decision twenty-year-old Taylor ever makes--and the beginning of the most epic friendship she ever has. As Wolfe's resistance to 9-5's and traditional adulthood grows, Harlow becomes the perfect companion for her eccentricities in a world that thrives on conformity. Wolfe's twenties--full of pitfalls and surprises, sad days and silver linings--led her to the realization that life is too short to spend your days in a crate (or a cubicle), that parks are meant to be enjoyed, and most importantly, she wants to be a mom. But really, isn't she one already? A charming and touching memoir, Birdie & Harlow is a tribute to the many expressions of modern motherhood, to both human and fur babies alike. Taylor's story reminds all of us that life will surprise you and that families should come in every shape and size.-- Provided by publisher.

Personal Subject:

Wolfe, Taylor.

Subject Term:

Motherhood -- Biography.

Dog owners -- Biography.

Human-animal relationships.

Man-woman relationships.

Families.

Genre:

Autobiographies.

Summary:

Holds:

Available:*

Library	Material Type	Shelf Number	Status
Searching... Ginter Park	Book	306.87 WOLFE X	Searching... Unknown
Searching... West End	Book	306.87 WOLFE X	Searching... Unknown

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Summary

"In this hilarious, uplifting memoir, Wolfe describes her intense bond with Harlow...as she grapples with the chaos of her 20s, marriage, and eventually new motherhood."--Washington Post

"An engaging debut with a lighthearted memoir of her tender relationship with her dog, Harlow, and her rocky path to becoming a mother. . . . A sweet homage to a beloved pet."--Kirkus Reviews

The funny and poignant story of one woman's wonderfully codependent relationship with her dog - and what he taught her about chosen family and the reward of motherhood.

Birdie & Harlow is the story of a baby and a dog. But motherhood is never quite that simple. In Taylor Wolfe's case, it's a long, zigzagging and winding road.

Meant to be a last-minute anniversary gift for her then boyfriend (and now husband), the highly-energetic and loud-mouthed Vizla puppy named Harlow turns out to be the best snap decision twenty-year-old Taylor ever makes--and the beginning of the most epic friendship she ever has. As Wolfe's resistance to 9-5's and traditional adulthood grows, Harlow becomes the perfect companion for her eccentricities in a world that thrives on conformity. Wolfe's twenties--full of pitfalls and surprises, sad days and silver linings--led her to the realization that life is too short to spend your days in a crate (or a cubicle), that parks are meant to be enjoyed, and most importantly, she wants to be a mom. But really, isn't she one already?

A charming and touching memoir, Birdie & Harlow is a tribute to the many expressions of modern motherhood, to both human and fur babies alike. Taylor's story reminds all of us that life will surprise you and that families should come in every shape and size.

Reviews (1)

Kirkus Review

How the author's love for her dog changed her life. Wolfe makes an engaging book debut with a lighthearted memoir of her tender relationship with her dog, Harlow, and her rocky path to becoming a mother. In 2010, she bought a vizsla puppy as a gift for her boyfriend--and husband-to-be--Chris, to celebrate their two-year anniversary. Chris was delighted, and Wolfe even more so. "Something about bringing Harlow into my life opened up a part of me that made me so much more sensitive to everything," she writes. With various jobs that included being a high school recruiter for a culinary school and selling graphic T-shirts and sweatshirts, Wolfe was able to enjoy Harlow's exuberance as he grew from puppyhood. "For the first few weeks," she writes, "there was a bit of a power "struggle as to who got to walk whom, but in the end, we both decided it was best if Har walked me, especially as he grew bigger and stronger." At one point, she got a job that required her to work in an office, which meant Harlow needed to be sequestered in a crate. "The days I spent in a cubicle making sales calls knowing Har was at home locked in a crate," she confesses, "made me feel like I too was locked in a crate." Both of them preferred walks in the park, so she quit. Harlow became her friend, companion, and confidant: The author peppers the text with their conversations as Harlow observes, and comments wryly on, Wolfe's life. She and Chris married, and soon after they tentatively decided to start "trying," she became pregnant. The author candidly reveals her anxieties about motherhood and the physical and emotional tolls of pregnancy, childbirth, and caring for an infant. One of her anxieties, unsurprisingly, was how Harlow would respond to a baby--but she needn't have worried. A sweet homage to a beloved pet. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.