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The Dog Thief and Other Stories Kindle Edition

4.3 out of 5 stars 45

“Decrepit humans rescue desperate canines, cats and the occasional rat in this collection of shaggy but piercing short stories.”

Listed by Kirkus Review as one of the best books of 2015, this collection of short stories and a novella explores the complexity of relationships between people and animals in an impoverished rural community where the connections people have with animals are sometimes their only connection to life.

According to Kirkus Review:

“Kearney’s prose is elegant and unfussy, with threads of humor and lyricism. She has an excellent eye for settings and ear for dialogue, and she treats her characters, and their relationships with their pets, with a cleareyed, unsentimental sensitivity and psychological depth. Through their struggles, she shows readers a search for meaning through the humblest acts of caretaking and companionship.

A superb collection of stories about the most elemental of bonds.”

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jill Kearney is an artist who lives with her husband and two dogs on an island in Puget Sound. She is retired from teaching and currently works part time as a care provider. Jill writes stories drawn from her experiences as an in-home care provider and a dog rescuer in the impoverished rural southwestern corner of Washington state. "I began writing almost as a compulsion," she said. "I met people and animals and got into situations that just demanded to be described in story form." Most of her stories concern the lives of people like her clients who live on the margins of society. "I get stories by standing in line at the Food Bank," she said. Other stories come from dog rescue experiences. "I'm interested in the lives of people who feel like they don't matter to anyone."

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01LYUW10Q
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Who Chains You Books (September 17, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 17, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 4777 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 210 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 out of 5 stars 45

About the author

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Jill Kearney
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Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
4.3 out of 5
45 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2017
Dogs and sometimes cats meander through this collection of twelve beautifully told stories. Populated by the infirm, the destitute, and the desperate, these are not pretty tales, but they are riveting. I was hooked right from the start with the bold rescue of abused animals in "The Dog Thief," and I stayed stayed hooked until, like the little fish in "Circles," Kearney finally let me go. Her character sketches are drawn with bold lines, bringing to life a collection of pathetic, courageous, beaten, and triumphant human beings living on the fringes of society. You might find your own life reflected here in some way. Strangely, the dog introduced in the first sentence, Lucky the three-legged pit bull, reminded me of one of my granddogs, who has a bum leg and usually doesn't put any weight on it. And the female protagonist in the final story is 59 years old, like me, and some of her reflections mirror some of mine at this time of life. Kearney has us pegged, it seems. Her stories are more than worth every penny.
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2024
Emotional inspirational. Fast paced. Laugh out loud funny at times
Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2020
Oh, wow! What an impactful collection of short stories—twelve of them to be exact. I can’t even begin to describe the emotional wallop they have, and pet owners, dog lovers in particular, are going to love this book. The dogs (and a few cats) are the real stars here, and their unwavering loyalty and unconditional love is the theme, as they follow alongside their humans. Those people have demons, from poverty to drugs, yet they aren’t unsympathetic. But the animals weaving in and out of their lives simply don’t care. They love their humans anyway.

The only bone I have to pick—and it’s a minor one—is that the stories are too short. I wasn’t ready to leave the characters yet and wanted them to go on a little longer.

I highly recommend this book and will be purchasing it for a few of the animal lovers in my life.
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2019
Amazing book. Very smooth flow. Captivating stories. Very realistic and deep. Speaks of an experienced person writing from the heart. All the elements of successful story telling are present. Beautiful prose. Characters are all relatable. There is compassion and there is dedication. Thoroughly enjoyed reading the book.
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2024
I received a free copy of the book. I found the stories to be rather disjointed and hard to follow. I wasn’t able to really attach to the dogs.
Stories weren’t connected.
Reviewed in the United States on September 27, 2023
I enjoyed reading this collection of short-stories. It shows the reader how people, both rich and poor, interact with and take care of animals - or not. Most of these stories have a dog in them, or at least mention a dog. A must-read for dog lovers!
Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2016
I bought this book to help a dog rescue we support. They told us that the writer would share a portion of her sales. And I found a reading treasure. Jill has the writer's touch
I loved her stories. Touching human stories, most will capture your heart. The stories are usually about people and how they relate to dogs and their feelings surrounding that relationship.
Thank you Jill for helping Safe Haven Rescue in Yerington NV. And giving me reading pleasure.
4 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on April 19, 2020
A Perfect collection, why stop there? It's been 5 years, time for another. I got this one for $2.99, my limit for an ebook, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy her next one at almost any price.

Top reviews from other countries

Steve
5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful, evocative style
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 12, 2018
This book consisted of one novella and a series of short stories. They are all based in rural America, full of characters who seem to have been beaten down by life.
There is a melancholic feel to most of the stories, with recurring themes of death and long-suffering dogs, but I thoroughly enjoyed the whole book. Jill Kearney has a wonderful, evocative style of writing which takes us into the worlds of her poor, resigned subjects. Despite their suffering and their alcoholism and other addictions, we see through to the human spirit beneath and, despite the sadness inherent in most of the tales, there is an uplifting feeling of fellow humans helping each other out.
A lovely, lovely book.
Angela Hayes
4.0 out of 5 stars Collection of 12 short stories.
Reviewed in Australia on November 23, 2020
4 Stars

The Dog Thief and Oher Stories by Jill Kearney is a collection of 12 short stories capturing the connection between humans and our four pawed companions. These stories are drawn from the authors own experiences as a dog rescuer and carer. The stories are heartachingly poignant- with a very realistic and honest account capturing both human and animal in all too-real situations.
This is not a light and fluffy read- there are moments of true heartache and emotion, but amongst it all are also messages of compassion, hope, determination, resilience, and survival.
The stories are written to highlight the need for more focus on animal rights, welfare, and rescue. It also captures the connection between humans and animals, and how caring for one another and forming a bond with our furry companions can stabilise and really enrich lives.

The stories in the collection are:
-The Dog Thief
-Sparrows
-Beverley and Jim
-Arnie’s Last Ride
-The Christmas Rats
-The Angel
-The Collie
-Beer Money
-The Quest
-Ordinary Housework
-Driving While Remembering

The author has a wonderful way with words, easily conveying realism and emotion. I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more of her work to explore.

Thank you, Jill Kearney!
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