Mostly Bob [Hardcover]

Tom Corwin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 12, 2006 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

When Tom Corwin’s golden retriever, Bob, passed away unexpectedly, Tom decided to write a letter as a tribute to his life. The letter told Bob’s many human friends what they might not have known — the surprising story of how he was once a ferocious, untrusting dog named Red, and how through sheer determination he changed completely to become Tom’s best friend. Tom began receiving an outpouring of heartfelt responses to what he came to realize was actually a universal tale about the possibility of change and the transformational power of love. Friends and strangers urged him to bring the story to more people, and with a vision of how it might look, Tom designed this special book version of the letter. With a total of just more than one thousand words, this poignant story reads like a poem, underscored by flipbook illustrations of Tom's beloved Bob. Laid out with only one sentence per page, the book’s spare quality and unique design have a powerful impact and readers will return to its pages again and again.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Mostly Bob speaks straight to the heart." — Marianne Williamson

"One measure of our humanity is the unconditional love we are capable of giving to an animal. . . . Mostly Bob puts it beautifully and succinctly into words." — Morley Safer, news correspondent, 60 Minutes

"I love this story. Not since Charlotte’s Web — and really I read it as an adult — have I been pushed passed the sadness to accept the beauty of a life well lived. Tom says that Bob was ‘amazingly successful in changing his own life.’ He changed mine too." — Linda Winer, theater critic, New York Newsday

"Simply a beautiful love story." — Bonnie Raitt

"Bob has grabbed our hearts the way he did Tom’s. We cried, we hugged our dogs, and then we smiled deeply for the wisdom, the humor, and the genius that was Bob." — Richard Pryor and Jennifer Lee Pryor

". . . a small work but large in what it has to say and the quality of its emotion." — Joanne Woodward

"If we treated each other the way we treat our beloved pets, this would be a very different world. My motto has long been WWLD, What Would Lassie Do? From now on it will be WWBTD, What Would Bob and Tom Do? The answer is sharing their love until there is no time left. You couldn't ask for better role models." — Dr. Bernie Siegel

"As I flipped through the pages of Mostly Bob I was instantly intrigued. I couldn't help but read the entire book before putting it down. My chest ached, tears streamed down my cheeks, and dog memories — joyful and painful — flooded my brain. Tom Corwin’s Mostly Bob is moving — emotionally, and to the New York Times bestseller list." — Dr. Ian Dunbar, author of Before & After Getting Your Puppy

"Simple and elegant, Mostly Bob clearly expresses the power and meaning of our deep and passionate interconnections with animals. Read it, feel it, and share it widely. I'll be giving it to all my friends." — Marc Bekoff, professor of biology, University of Colorado, author of Minding Animals

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: New World Library (January 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1577315251
• ISBN-13: 978-1577315254
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 4.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #731,260 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Power of Love, February 26, 2006

By 

Anna Kelly "California mom" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mostly Bob (Hardcover)

This book is a beautiful tribute to a very special dog and, more importantly, a touching lesson in the value of looking beyond the surface before passing judgement. It packs a big punch into a few words. If the author had passed up the stinky dog next door, he would have missed out on the relationship of a lifetime. I've read the book a few times now and the lesson goes deeper with each read.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mostly Bob is a TREASURE!, March 2, 2006

By 

Sandi and Richard Schmidt (Everett, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mostly Bob (Hardcover)

"Mostly Bob" goes straight to your heart like an arrow shot from cupid's bow. If you buy this book for a gift, we recommend that you wrap it in a Nice New Handkerchief and tie it with a Yellow Ribbon. This book is a treasure!

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book made me Cry - A Beautiful Story, March 2, 2006

By 

Anna - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mostly Bob (Hardcover)

This story is beautiful and inspirational. It touched me. i love the layout, and the slow unfolding of the story - as it pays tribute to the slow unfolding of Bob's life.
Thank you Tom Corwin, for sharing this beautiful story.