Customer Reviews

Come Back, Como: Winning the Heart of a Reluctant Dog

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

It's impossible not to compare this w/Me & Marley. If you enjoyed that book, you'll love this one, too. The main difference, I think, is that the author and his family play a larger role in this book (which is just fine). He explains their (the parents') family history with dogs, and there are a lot of emotional/psychological issues involved before the dog even turns up. Then, the author really struggles with the fact that the dog prefers (by far) his wife and daughter, and his attempts to lure the dog to the leash by sitting on the toilet in helpless mode are quite amusing. All of the human beings in this book receive much more air time than the folks in Me & Marley (I read that one recently and can't recall much about the family; yet I am unlikely to forget this engaging family of three any time soon). His descriptions are great; you can really imagine the Australian savior at the vet and the unnamed heros who help him catch the dog. You can feel his mixed sadness as his daughter blossoms from a tween to a full-blown teenager any parent would be proud of. You can picture the neighborhood and smell the tacos his wife brings home for lunch. The writing really invites readers in. It's an easy, memorable read, and I would definitely recommend this to all. (And I'd recommend saving a shelter pet, too. Hard work but worth every minute!) Share this one with your friends.

This amazing story is like a braid, woven of three parts.

The first is Como, an unlikely family dog who hates confinement and loves his freedom so much that he risks his life on a regular basis. The second lock of the braid is about the Winn family, a warmhearted and very principled group of three, itself with a challenge, that of continuing responsibility and even love for what quickly turns into a maniacal little creature who destroys crates or cages, carpet, baby gates, and anything else that hampers his freedom.

And the third strand of the woven braid is the story of what it really MEANS to bestow familyship upon a trying little dog. The author gets a double whammy by realizing that Como, probably due to some experience when he was a stray, hates men. Steven is not spared. As Como comes to love Steven's wife Sally and their daughter Phoebe, he refuses in the first months to have anything to do with Steven. Finally, it happens, and Como escapes, running in front of a car, and though it's only afterwards, when we know Como has survived some serious surgery and recoup time, we are left with an enduring (and endearing) picture of the author, tearing wildly down the San Francisco streets in his bathrobe.

By the time an almost lifeless dog is scooped up in Steven's arms and rushed to the vet, there is more blood, from survival bites, on the author than on the dog. The escape is the result of workmen in the house not closing a door, but the guilt the author piles on himself is heart wrenching.

For anyone who has ever loved a dog, or loved a child who loved a dog, this book deserves a good spot on a prominent shelf. If you don't have to wipe at some tears, you may not be getting it. But on a higher note, you will be rewarded with smiles and sudden cries of laughter that you will remember for some time.

Como is the author's teenage daughter's dog. The author sets the stage for the title of the book in the first chapter and then describes his and his family's life "before Como" in the next 40 pages. The rest of the book describes how the author and his family went about Como's adoption and the subsequent life and antics that followed during their first two years together. The book's last chapter ends six years after Como's adoption.

On the positive side, the author is an absolutely phenomenal writer. The way he describes some of Como's antics and his response to them were sometimes so funny that I almost peed in my pants from laughing so hard.

BUT........................

On the negative side, his story can make a devoted pet lover SCREAM "ARE YOU CRAZY and that NAIVE"? For instance, he mentions how he enticed Como to eat a piece of a chocolate power bar so he could catch him on one of his wild escape escapades. Every dog owner should know that chocolate can kill a dog yet he makes no attempt to even acknowledge that he made a mistake. Perhaps he still doesn't know chocolate is dangerous to dogs.

I am not sure if the author is really as disturbed and negative as he makes himself appear to be in the book or if he is just purposely over exaggerating and saying things in "jest" just to create a good read. Much of the story makes me want to strangle (figuratively speaking, of course) the author and his wife (less so for his wife) for how naïve they are about pet ownership. The only one who seems to know how to take care of a dog is their daughter Phoebe who reads many books about dogs that apparently they never read.

In my opinion, Como is a normal dog adopted by parents who do not have a clue about pet ownership. An uninformed person who is thinking of becoming a pet parent can get the wrong parenting message from this book. It is mainly because of this that I rated this book three stars. Had he redeemed himself in the prologue or conclusion of the book by explaining the things he did wrong (like the chocolate) and acknowledging that he now knows how to be a pet parent, I would have given the book four stars. Instead the author's last three chapters are boring and erupt like a VERBAL VOLCANO about anything and everything mostly unrelated to Como.

"Come Back, Como" is a bit drawn out for what I consider normal pet ownership issues. Nevertheless, the author's colorful writing style makes the story an entertaining read up until the last three chapters; although, those who question his pet parenting skills may writhe in anger.

In essence "Come Back, Como" is an extremely subdued version of Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World's Worst Dog.

The story of Como, was a sweet yet tart story of a shelter rescued dog. Steven Winn did a good job on writing this book. Steven and his family took Como in and Como came in like a tornado.

The unlovable loveable dog, with all his quirks, was my hero. Maybe it was his longing for the outdoors. Maybe it was just wanting to be free. Como was the free spirit of the animal world, much to the disapproval of Steven. But slowly, ever so slowly, Como would change Steven. Little increments; Steven lying down in the middle of the street near Ortega Street, in the busy bustling city of San Francisco, staring up into the sky. Como had started changing Steven right then. Would Steven ever had done that before? What about walking with his friend Mark? It doesn't seem likely that would happen had Como not been around. So many little increments that slowly changed Steven. Como would teach Steven on how to let go, be free. They would come to love each other, or should I say, understand each other.

There were trying times too. Como loved to take off running into the streets and an accident ensued which left me on the cliff because we all know those dog stories of old and it usually doesn't turns out well. When I read Como didn't take the anesthesia well, my heart was on the edge. I thought something I didn't want to read was coming. I don't want to spill any spoilers but it took awhile before I could sigh a breath of relief.

If I were to change anything about the book, it would be the long explanation of prior animals that lead up to Como. I would have liked to have read a lot more of this quirky little dog instead. Otherwise, I found it a nice, eventually sweet, story. Go Como go! Let your heart be forever free!

I love dogs, and I love to read. So Come Back, Como seemed like a no-brainer book for me, and I'm happy to report that I enjoyed it every much as I had hoped to - if not more. Steven Winn recounts the history of how a quirky little dog who his daughter named Como came into his family's life and turned it upside down. Having dogs both as a child and an adult, some of his stories were very familiar to me - the visits to the shelters, buying the supplies for the new dog, and the trials of crating a newly adopted dog. However my own experiences were nowhere near as adventurous as Winn's. Como, it seems, wanted nothing to do with Winn, or with being caged up in a crate. Winn and his wife even consider invoking the "30 day no questions asked" return policy on Como. However, that is not what happened. The various tales that Winn tells will make you laugh and some may also bring you to tears. In the end, though, Come Back, Como is a very rewarding read for dog lovers. Winn writes in a very straightforward, conversational style that like traces back to his 25 years writing for the San Francisco Chronicle. The book is very easy to read, and I never felt like I was "working" to get to the end of it. I recommend this to all dog lovers.

Overall: B+

From when she was a small child, Phoebe Winn wanted a dog more than anything. Her parents, both with less-than-pleasant childhood memories of family dogs, try to fob her off with other pets: goldfish, and then a lovebird who met a sad end. Finally mom and dad relent and adopt a small terrier mix from the animal shelter--a dog with an inherent fear of men. From then on it's waiting for their new dog to adjust to them--or perhaps it's one of the humans that must adjust to the dog.

This is a nice, but unremarkable story of a dog with problems who comes into a family with problems. From the daughter's point of view, her love of "Como" is immediate, and her mother's affection immediately follows. But it's prickly dad who must learn to adjust to a wary Como, and there will be a heart-stopping accident before they accept each other for who they are. I was a bit appalled at the beginning of this book with what happened to the lovebird--what kind of a pet owner doesn't confirm with their pet sitter what dates they will be going on vacation?--and also that the animal shelter worker would be so eager to foist off a dog with a fear of men that she ignored telling the family about it until after their child had fallen in love with the dog. There are some sweet parts, however, especially when Winn realizes how much he has come to love Como.

As a lifelong animal lover, and owner of many pets over my lifetime, I think this should have remained a series in the "San Francisco Chronicle", where it got its start. The book purports itself to be about a problem dog, but, while reading it, I never got the idea that the dog was a problem. The only thing I found a bit different about him was the strength of his teeth.

It IS an easy-to-read book, sometimes heartwarming, and sometimes quite funny, but I found myself laughing more at the author than the dog. That's what the book was to me - the story of a fairly "normal" dog who was adopted by possibly the most neurotic dog owner I've ever seen - (that would be the author). His wife and daughter seem much more normal, but on the whole, that's the story in the nutshell, to me.

Como is a shelter dog the author and his family adopted. He had had some kind of bad experience, and was somewhat distrustful of men, which the family was told about. From the first, the author looks at the dog as a problem, and every little thing Como does is blown way out of proportion, to the point of being ridiculous, by the author.

This "problem" dog was really quite a normal dog - I own 3 dogs myself, and none of them like to be confined - 2 accept it a little better than the other one, but all of them dislike it. They ALL have tried to run away - very occasionally succeeding - I am always very careful when trying to get them home, and well aware that just one escape can result in the very same thing that happened to Como. We finally put in a dog door, which greatly cut down their chances of being able to get loose.

In reading this book, I could see how badly the author's attitude must have affected poor Como. He KNEW that dogs could sense his nervousness, yet let it get the best of him so many times, it's no wonder that the dog couldn't quite shake his distrust of men. I really wish an animal lover could have sat the author down, and explained to him that there was nothing wrong with his dog, and he could probably have easily have earned his trust, if he had just gone about it with a different point of view. Things could have been so different, and the author could have avoided a whole lot of unnecessary stress.

The reason I think this should have remained a series is because, even though the author writes so well, there comes a point when I could tell he was struggling to make it a book. After awhile, there was really nothing left to say, so I found the last few chapters slightly boring.

Still, there is a lot here to like, especially for people who aren't naturals with dogs. The author DOES learn some things, and there is a gripping part after the dog is hit by a car. The author also writes very well, which is why I had to give the book 3 stars, even though there really wasn't enough solid "book material", and even though this "problem" dog, in my opinion, wasn't a problem. It's a good book for some light summer reading, as long as you don't think too hard about it - for me it got difficult to read, just because the author did so many things wrong, and made things so difficult for himself, and his dog. It just didn't have to be that way...

I enjoyed the good writing and that kept me turning the pages. I do think the story moves a little too slowly, and it is too long. Some of the happenings in "Come Back, Como," are predictable and repetitive, which may make the story move a little slowly.

Although an enjoyable book, I don't get a warm fuzzy feeling from reading it; there are comical and sad parts, but something is missing. When I read an animal/pet story, I expect the owner to be a real pet lover (Winn did things I wouldn't expect a pet lover to do - like putting Como in a pet carrier away from everyone on his first night in a strange house) or the pet to be extraordinary.

Como and Winn do seem to warm up to each other toward the back of the book, and I found that satisfying. That said, the book just left me a little cold. Maybe I was expecting too much.

I don't know if this odd little memoir really deserves to be ranked with other 'dog story books.' The writer talks a lot about his family and life situations. He uses the experiences of their first family dog to provide a framework for a rambling story. You don't really learn about dogs, laugh much, or feel inspired to get out to a shelter to adopt your own pet.

The titular Como is not especially amusing or winning. He's a shelter dog with issues, trying to integrate into a family with a man he doesn't particularly like or trust.

I am sure many of us have experienced a dog who prefers women, doesn't like people wearing hats (or something equally random), or distrusts anyone who reminds them of their traumatic past. It can take months or even years to earn such a shelter dog's love and trust. The author details his difficult experiences trying to bond with his pet. Unfortunately, he never really gets there. He and Como end up settling for a sort of tolerant truce with each other.

There are some a few genuinely touching moments in the thread of the narrative. The book is an undemanding, pleasant read, if never exactly gripping or inspiring. Recommended if you enjoy a nice memoir with a dog in it, or have had similar experiences with a frustrating pet and can identify with the hapless author.

No, this is not a Marley and Me imitation. This is a very personal story about an adopted dog with a damaged psyche and a story with lots of twists and turns and trials and tribulations. Steven Winn is an excellent writer. He is able to take you to place and time without being overly verbose. The story is touching and funny all at the same time. The story is compulsively readable - you'll find yourself reading longer than you plan, as you journey into the world of Como and the family that loves him. It is a story that I was able to relate to even more because I am the owner of an adopted, damaged dog of my own and, just like Como, my dog ultimately brought joy to our household. I highly recommend this story.