Monday, October 18, 2010

Oogy - Larry Levin

When I saw the cover of Larry Levin's book Oogy - I just knew I had to read it.

If you're seeing the cover for the first time, you're probably thinking - what happened to that dog's face? Well it's a horrific story. Oogy was a bait dog - he was thrown into a ring as a training exercise for a fight dog when he was somewhere around 3 or 4 months old. Found in a police raid, he was locked in a cage and abandoned with no food or water and bleeding from severe wounds. After the raid, he was taken to an after hours clinic. A clinic that, against all odds, decided to save his life, not end it. Larry and his twin boys have come to the same clinic a few months later to put down a beloved family cat. And as Larry says  - it was fated meeting - Oogy has found a new home.

Levin's style is easy and conversational. Along with seeing Oogy grow, Levin talks about his adopted twin sons and their family life. I would have like to hear a little more about Mom Jennifer's thoughts.

The book is a tribute to an incredible animal - one whose spirit never faltered despite the horrific beginning to his life. It's a story of hope, love, acceptance and most of all - the incredible bond we have with animals we love and what they can bring to the lives of the people they touch.

A quick read that animal lovers will connect with. And you can enter to win one of two copies up for grabs in my giveaway. Ends Oct 30th.  Enter HERE.

I have my own 'Oogy' at home. Shawnee was rescued by a fantastic lady the day before she was to be euthanized. When we went to meet her, she had just come out of a month's quarantine - she had come in with  mange, fleas, worms, literally covered in ticks as she was an easy target with no fur, starving and had been beaten. Her tail never stopped wagging. And it hasn't to this day. She is the most loving, kind, happy, faithful animal and we are so lucky to have her in our lives.

Read an excerpt of Oogy.



And you have until Oct 30th to win one of two copies I'm giving away. ENTER HERE~

4 comments:

bermudaonion said...

What a fantastic story! The trailer made me cry, so I imagine I'll sob when I read the book.

pam said...

I have SUCH dog issues, especially rescued pit bull issues. :O) And by "issues", I mean "I'd adopt all if I could".
Our four year old pit-mix found us when he was three months old...way too young for us to get any "we saved the bait dog" or "we rehabbed an old fighter" awards but still, it's hard to think of Don-bean falling into the wrong hands earlier in life and going down either bait or fighter path.

I picked this up the day it came out (again, I'm a hopeless dog geek and am on countless pit-rescue/advocate sites and I KNOW about these things) but haven't had time to really sit and get into it. Thanks for the review....I hope many many dog, non-dog, pit and non-pit folks read read read away on this one!

(p.s. this was the last pit book I read and reviewed...not for the faint of heart but a pretty good ending... http://iwriteinbooks.wordpress.com/2010/10/11/the-lost-dogs-michael-vicks-dogs-and-their-tale-of-rescue-and-redemption-jim-gorant/)

Luanne said...

Thannks for the recommendation Pam!

audreygeddes said...

This one looks so good! Thanks for your great review and the trailer, which is so touching. You might also enjoy a new travel memoir about Borneo called, "Borneo Tom," by retired biology teacher, Tom McLaughlin. What I loved about this one are the author's wonderful stories, sketches and the fact that he found love, marriage and fatherhood at almost 60.