• 5 Star Reads
  • Audiobooks
  • Books on Screen
  • Children’s Books
  • Christian
  • Fiction
  • Giveaways

5 Minutes For Books

  • Home
  • About
    • Who Are We? Reviewer Bios
    • 5 Star Reads
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
    • About Us
  • Join In
    • 5 Minutes for Books Bookclub
    • Children’s Classics
    • Kids’ Picks
    • What’s on Your Nightstand
  • Link To Us
  • Contact
    • Advertise

One Good Dog

March 10, 2010 by Jennifer

One Good Dog by Susan Wilson is a novel about second chances. The point of view alternates between Adam, a man down on his luck, and a former dog-fighting pit bull, whose very life defines down on your luck.

To be honest, at the beginning of the novel, I wasn’t sure if it was working for me. First Adam is very unlikable. Very. You get his backstory and understand why, but even so. . . and then there is the dog’s point of view. I’m not such a conventional reader that I can’t suspend reality enough to read a book narrated by a dog. I have, and though I haven’t loved any of them, I enjoyed them and thought it was a novel approach (no pun intended, unless you are laughing at my cleverness). But by the end of One Good Dog I realized that this story couldn’t have been told in any other way, and worked in this book’s favor.

In fact, by the end, I couldn’t avoid the metaphor of a pit bull being “a victim of his breeding,” just like those street kids who fought him, and even Adam himself. For good or bad, aren’t we all?

As the metaphor strengthened (always used effectively and never crossing the line into trite), Adam also becomes more self-aware, and thus more likable as well. Both the dog and the man recognize what they really need. Their understanding of freedom, power, and success began to change.

There was some great dramatic suspense at the end that made me fly through the last 50 pages, and like any great animal story, left me reaching for my tissues.

We have a few copies of One Good Dog to give away. Please leave a comment if you’d like to win (U.S. and Canadian residents only). We’ll announce the winner on March 17.

The winners of last week’s contests are:

St. Patrick’s Day Supplies – #7 – Nikki
This Book is Overdue – #18 – Sarah E

Jennifer Donovan has one good dog herself. She chronicles life with her family — furry and otherwise — at Snapshot.

Filed Under: Fiction, Jennifer

« The (Faith Based) Berenstain Bears
Books on Screen: Classic Animal Stories »

Comments

  1. karenk says

    March 14, 2010 at 4:05 pm

    please count me in…thanks

  2. Marc says

    March 15, 2010 at 8:16 am

    Would like to read this even if I only have one bad cat!

  3. Jason Nickolay says

    March 15, 2010 at 11:58 am

    This sounds like a fantastic book. Thanks for the chance

    jason(at)allworldautomotive(dot)com

  4. debi says

    March 15, 2010 at 2:48 pm

    I’d love to win this

  5. Geri Whitten says

    March 15, 2010 at 4:05 pm

    Huge fan of Edgar Sawtelle and Timbuktu. Would love to read.

  6. Angela Winesburg says

    March 15, 2010 at 5:07 pm

    I’d love to read this, thanks for the chance!

  7. shawna says

    March 15, 2010 at 5:20 pm

    This sounds like a great story!

  8. Jill Miller says

    March 15, 2010 at 7:45 pm

    As a “mom” of four rescue dogs, I realize that second chances are sometimes better than the first time around. My dogs give me such unconditional love and — my husband and I both swear to this — they are THANKFUL. I would love to read this book!

  9. Ed Nemmers says

    March 15, 2010 at 7:45 pm

    Yes, I would really like to win!

  10. Ken says

    March 15, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    This sounds like a book that my wife would love…hope I can win it for her. 🙂

  11. Christy H. says

    March 15, 2010 at 7:49 pm

    I’d be tickled pink if you would enter me in this giveaway.

  12. heather y says

    March 15, 2010 at 9:18 pm

    Thanks for the great giveaway! Count me in on this one! 🙂

  13. Chrysa says

    March 16, 2010 at 12:54 am

    Looks great! Thanks for the giveaway!

  14. judy says

    March 16, 2010 at 3:45 am

    I love Dog stories, love dogs too! This sounds like a perfect read!

  15. dawn says

    March 16, 2010 at 3:45 am

    I like animal stories! And this one sounds great.

    mightynaynay(at)cs.com

  16. jemrah says

    March 16, 2010 at 5:54 am

    Love dog stories – leave me with a warm and fuzzy feeling

  17. Kym E says

    March 16, 2010 at 6:50 am

    Thanks for the chance.

  18. Melissa B. says

    March 16, 2010 at 7:06 am

    I’m curious to hear what the dog’s thinking.

  19. Anita Yancey says

    March 16, 2010 at 7:23 am

    I’d really like to read this book. Please enter me. Thanks!

  20. Joanne Schultz says

    March 16, 2010 at 10:21 am

    I love dog books! Sure hope he doesn’t die at the end.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  21. kathy pease says

    March 16, 2010 at 11:16 am

    Thank you for the Great giveaway please count me in 🙂

  22. Susan Smith says

    March 16, 2010 at 11:42 am

    Sounds like a good book

  23. cris says

    March 16, 2010 at 2:36 pm

    We have a house full of readers (and our “slightly used” dogs) that would love this. Thanks for the giveaway–

  24. Kelly Deaton says

    March 16, 2010 at 3:16 pm

    I’m a dog person – this book sounds great! Thanks for the chance!
    Kelly Deaton – secrets_girl23(at)yahoo(dot)com (aka)
    dkad23(at)gmail(dot)com

  25. Melissa Nunley says

    March 16, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    Aww, great book! Thanks for the chance 🙂

  26. Stacey O'Brien says

    March 16, 2010 at 4:37 pm

    As the owner of 6 rescued pitbulls and hopefully someday a pitbull rescue, I believe that the most important thing that can be done is educating the general public on the reality of this breed. I have never in my life witnessed a dog that is as smart as a golden retriever, as kind as a labrador, and as quirky as a terrier all wrapped into one, the way I do each and every day since I rescued my first pit!

    Thank you, so much, for writing this book.

  27. Melanie says

    March 16, 2010 at 5:12 pm

    I love books about second chances.
    And my sister and her husband rescued a pitbull, and he is the most gentle of animals.

  28. Lily Kwan says

    March 16, 2010 at 6:49 pm

    Please enter me into the contest. Thanks!

  29. Sandra K321 says

    March 16, 2010 at 9:59 pm

    I didn’t think I would like to read this book because it would be too depressing reading about the poor dog, but I looked at it at the bookstore today and decided it sounded like a good book.

  30. Winning Readings says

    March 16, 2010 at 11:25 pm

    I’d love this!

    janemaritz at yahoo dot com

  31. CherylS22 says

    March 16, 2010 at 11:32 pm

    Sounds like an interesting book – please count me in. Thanks for the opportunity!

  32. Bob Schultz says

    January 24, 2011 at 7:28 pm

    Saw a blurb on this book in my local paper. Picked up the book at the library.
    Could not put it down- read it in 12 hours straight!
    Great Read, I highly recommend this book.

    I don’t even own a dog (2 cats), but loved this book. Makes me want to go to the pound today!!!

    Bob, Raleigh NC

    • Jennifer says

      January 24, 2011 at 8:31 pm

      I’m glad you found my review. I still think about this book when I think about dogs that people think are vicious.

  33. Julia Wilson says

    March 27, 2011 at 5:28 pm

    Just my luck….the deadline has come and gone. I have read the book twice and shared with many others. I would have loved to have had an extra copy to put on my gift shelf!
    Maybe I shall get a second chance!
    Julia, Virginia Beach, VA

« Older Comments

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Welcome to 5 Minutes for Books. We are a team blog dedicated to sharing reviews and information about children's lit, fiction, memoir, and more. Read More…

Reviews

5 Minutes for Books

Jennifer Donovan
Managing Editor

MEET OUR TEAM



Connect With Us


Pinterest

Community

Cybils Logo Draft 3

Disclosure:

Find out about our relationships with publishers and affiliate networks in our full disclosure statement.

Recent Posts

  • After Pearl
  • Vera Wong’s Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man)
  • I Can’t Get No Satisfaction
  • You are Fatally Invited
  • Murder on the Steel Pier–SHOWCASE

Categories

Privacy Policy    |     Disclosure Policy
Terms & Conditions
© 5 Minutes for Mom

Let’s Socialize

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Pinterest is Our FAVORITE!

Find and Follow Us at
pinterest.com/5min4books

Copyright © 2025 · Tasteful theme by Restored 316