Charlie - A Love Story [Paperback]

Barbara Lampert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 27, 2012

*A Top-10 Bestseller in 2012 at "Diesel, A Bookstore" in Malibu!
*One of Conversations Book Club's Top Books for 2012!

Charlie: A Love Story tells of the beautiful love between Charlie, a Golden Retriever, and the author, Barbara Lampert. It takes place in Malibu, California. When Charlie turned eleven years old and started having some health problems, a journal Barbara was keeping about her garden quickly became mostly about Charlie.

Because it emerged out of Barbara's gardening journal, Charlie's story developed against a background of her gardening activities and images of her extensive cottage garden. And because it is in journal form, Charlie: A Love Story is told while it is happening and is mostly uncensored, providing an intimate look at the bond between Charlie and Barbara, an incredible connection between a canine and a human. And as a psychotherapist who specializes in relationships, Barbara brings that sensibility and understanding to Charlie's story as well.

Charlie was Barbara's loyal confidante and best friend. He was indomitable, had a zest for life and an uncanny emotional intelligence. As Barbara says in her book:"Charlie's a big dog, not just physically but in every way. He has a big heart, a big smile, lots of courage, a big appetite, and a great, big, generous spirit. Charlie's the emotional core of our family, the most solid being I have ever known, and wise beyond his years. Charlie and me. It's a great love affair, a once-in-a-lifetime connection."Charlie: A Love Story is about devotion, joy, loss, and renewal, about never giving up or giving in. But mostly it's about an extraordinary dog and an extraordinary relationship.

"In this very heartfelt, special book, Barbara captures Charlie's character and their relationship with clarity and immediacy. This is a tender yet very real story of the love of a dog and his master equally beloved of each other, a story I think will always be remembered."
- Robert Olds, DVM, Diplomate ACVS, Chief of Surgery, VCA Brentwood Animal Hospital, West Los Angeles, California

Editorial Reviews

Review

''Charlie: A Love Story, a valentine to a special Golden Retriever, is pure magic. From the moment you meet Charlie and Barbara in her garden, you'll be captivated. Here is a story you'll never forget. This lovely book is destined to become a classic.'' - Arthur Vanderbilt, award-winning author of Golden Days: Memories of a Golden Retriever

''Charlie: A Love Story is absolutely beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. Charlie was a truly astonishing dog. I can think of few people as aware of the capacity for love in other animals as Barbara. She has captured the love of a dog faithfully and fully.'' – Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author of Dogs Make Us Human: A Global Family Album and the bestselling Dogs Never Lie About Love and When Elephants Weep

“It is a great relief to read a memoir that does not involve some kind of confession regarding the numerous ways people find to screw up their lives. Charlie: A Love Story is for anyone who has ever loved a dog and been loved in return.  Charlie exhibited a zest for life and courage. This is a short, wonderful read.”− Alan Caruba, Bookviews

“Charlie had an energy that most of us wish we had in times of stress. He truly lived his life to the fullest. Here you see his affection for Barbara on every page of this outstanding memoir to this dog who will live in her heart forever. Told with love, the story embraces the reader from the first page until the last.”− Fran Lewis, Goodreads

About the Author

Barbara Lampert is a psychotherapist in private practice in Brentwood, California for more than 20 years. She has a Ph.D. in medical sociology and two master's degrees - one in psychology and one in sociology. She lives in Malibu, California with her husband David and their two Golden Retrievers. She's an avid gardener. But the passion of her life is dogs!

Product Details

• Paperback: 204 pages
• Publisher: Langdon Street Press (a division of Hillcrest Publishing Group, Inc.) (January 27, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1936782251
• ISBN-13: 978-1936782253
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #297,954 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For me, dogs are the magic on this planet. They warm my heart, make me smile. I've had dogs most of my life and hope to have at least one by my side always. I love other people's dogs too. If I could, I'd have a farm full of dogs. My life style just doesn't allow for that, but I can always dream. Dog energy is the best!

I'm a Marriage Family Therapist specializing in relationships. I consider my work a calling and love what I do.

While I was preparing to take my licensing exam, my beautiful Charlie came into my life. He was thirteen weeks old and like all puppies did not stop moving. He was the cutest little bundle. It was love at first sight. Charlie became my very best friend. He was indomitable, had a zest for life and an uncanny emotional intelligence. Charlie was not only my once-in-a-lifetime dog but also a once-in-a-lifetime being. And ours was a once-in-a-lifetime relationship.

For a lot of people, their dogs are their best friends too. I love helping people know that's ok - that a soul-satisfying relationship may be found with any being and needs to be treasured.

Besides my love of dogs, I'm an avid gardener and find myself gardening in much of my spare time. I've landscaped our property, which is on almost an acre. I see my garden as a work of art and love being in nature - the miracle of growth, the ever-changing landscape, its beauty.

Today I live in Malibu, California with my husband David (married thirty years!) and our two wonderful Golden Retrievers, seven-year-old Harry and one-year-old Bentley, who have quickly become the greatest of friends!

Website: www.charliealovestory.com
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Charlie-A-Love-Story
Twitter: twitter.com/@barbaralampert
Pinterest: pinterest.com/barbaralampert

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read in the spirit of James Herriot March 20, 2012

By Kim Adams

Format:Paperback

No Matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich." -Louis Sabin

We are a multigenerational cat family. I requested to review CHARLIE: A LOVE STORY because I understand the bond between human and animal, whether it is cat, dog, or other creature. Barbara Lampert shares her incredible relationship with Charlie, a Golden Retriever. That relationship, no matter how heartwarming and heartbreaking, serves as a metaphor for how we can grow as individuals, families, and as a society. I believe the title speaks for itself - Charlie gave Barbara love when she thought she was loving him. Their relationship is particularly fascinating, given that Barbara is a therapist and her "book" began as a journal of gardening. Therein lies the truth of the situation - animals worm their way into our hearts, become a part of our families, and set the example of love without boundaries.

This book is not just for animal lovers, but readers who enjoy heartfelt stories. I received a review copy from the author.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A heart touching story April 3, 2012

By Brenda Casto

Format:Paperback

As an animal lover I always enjoy reading a story about a remarkable dog. But in this story instead of just reading about a wonderful dog, I was also allowed to glimpse the amazing relationship between Charlie and the human he loved.

The author writes in journal style, painting a wonderful picture of the garden she tends, but as her beloved Golden Charlie starts battling health issues the journal becomes more about him and his unwavering spirit to live. I really found myself immersed in this story, and couldn't put the book down. While the story is about Charlie we also get to meet his other pack members and learn how they became a part of the Lampert family. The author shares plenty of photos of Charlie and her other dogs that were beautiful.
A heartfelt, touching story, that left me in tears, but also had me hugging my dog Marley and being thankful that God allows such remarkable animals to share our lives!
A book that I highly recommend to anyone, animal lovers, or someone just looking for a story about true unconditional love. This book will certainly have a permanent place in my library! Thank you Ms. Lampert for sharing Charlie's remarkable story with us.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Story of Unconditional Love March 2, 2012

By Madonna "yonkers"

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

As a lover and owner of Golden Retrievers, this book really hit home. I cried through most of the reading and loved not only the dog Charlie but had great admiraton for the author. She never gave up on her Charlie and Charlie never gave up on wanting to live. A beautiful Love story even if it is about a woman and her Dog. Unconditional love goes both ways and Barbara Lampert loved Charlie as much as he loved her. Any book about a Golden Retriever would be great but this was Exceptional.