The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog

I received this book as a Christmas gift this year and, since I had never heard of this author before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. But after having read it, I have to say that this is probably one of the best books I've ever read!!! It made me smile, laugh, and cry - a major feat considering that it's only 120 "short" pages in length... "The Shepherd, the Angel, and Walter the Christmas Miracle Dog" is written from the viewpoint of a young boy (Douglas) who is growing up in New York in the 1960's. He shares several funny, heartwarming stories about his family & friends, including the family dog Frank (I know Frank is not the dogs name in the title, but you'll find out why when you read it). The last (and longest) of these stories is about one fateful Christmas eve when, after everything that could go wrong did, he & his family (and pretty much the whole town) got to experience a beautiful Christmas miracle. As I write this review, I'm purposefully trying not to share too much about this story, as I don't want to give anything away. It's one of those books where I think you really need to experience everything first-hand to get the most enjoyment. Overall, I would highly recommend this book to everyone! It's a beautiful, funny, heartfelt, and easy read - a diamond in the ruff! But be sure to have some tissues handy...

Hilarious and heartwarming, this is a wonderful little Christmas book. It's short and doesn't take long to read. It's terrific!

You know what to expect from a Dave Barry book, and he doesn't disappoint us here. This humorous Christmas tale is told by a young boy living in the 1960s in a New York City suburb. "Doug Barnes" gets sidetracked in the telling, as adolescent boys often do, but eventually we realize that the story is really about Christmas Eve, church Christmas pageants in general, and one "magical" one in particular. Barry is quick to point out that any resemblance of this story's characters to people in his true hometown is "frankly, a bewildering coincidence." But parts of this adventure just HAVE to be based on past experience. You can't make up stuff like this. Easy to polish off in less than an hour, this book may well be appropriate to read aloud when the family is gathered 'round the eggnog on Christmas Eve. It's sure to dredge up memories of Christmas pageants of the past. As a matter of fact: I hadn't given it a thought in many years, but Barry's story prompted me to remember the only Christmas pageant *I* was ever forced to take part in. Guess I wasn't much older than "Doug Barnes," and it was a Christmas in the late '60s or early '70s. Snowflakes were falling over our part of southeastern Pennsylvania. They were light enough that the Lutheran church service wasn't cancelled, but they were heavy enough to keep many people at home that night -- including the girl who was supposed to play the part of Mary. Suddenly I was promoted from second angel to one of the most visible roles in church history. I shuffled down the aisle, trying not to trip over the hastily-hemmed skirt that threatened to poke pinholes into my bare legs. Next to me marched a much older and larger boy whom I barely knew and had never had occasion to speak to. And we were supposed to be Mary and Joseph? Puh-leeze. Thank goodness not many people witnessed that scene! My only regret is that the church bulletin didn't credit me for my stand-in performance. Alas, we had no bats in the belfry, Brenda Lee songs, or dogs named Frank and Walter to make things more interesting. Thanks, Dave, for the trip down Memory Lane...

This is a romp back to many of our childhood days and those awkward days of discovering girls and pageants at church, etc. Let's not spoil it for those who haven't read it yet. Just to say that this is a nostalgic trip back to days where adults smoked and didn't know all the harmful things they were doing to their lungs. When prior to asking a girl to dance one of your friends asked one of the girls if your friend asked their friend to dance, would she? Boy, memories, uh? It's about Gary U.S. Bonds and Brenda Lee starring at the pageant? Also, about a family's dog and its wearing out at the wrong time, around bats. But the end is the thing. You've got to read, you'll enjoy.

I laughed, I cried, I think I soiled myself. Sit back in your favorite easy chair, put on a Bing Crosby Christmas album, and curl up with this timeless classic, oh and don't forget the icy cold 40-ouncer, you'll need it. Dave hasn't lost too many brain cells to keep him from churning out yet another example of what we have come to expect from a genuine master of his "craft". His particular craft being almost entirely composed of beer guzzling followed by short stints of "creative" writing....... And when I say "creative", I mean either one or both of his eyes were shut. Yet, with one eye tied behind his back, and Jimmy Buffet tunes constantly meandering in his brain, Mr. Barry(as his friend calls him) manages to turn out a piece of work............... that we would all be proud to diplay right up there on our library shelves with the likes of Hemingway, Salinger, and Melville. Say what you will about Dave's parentage but, dang, THAT BOY IS FUNNY!!! Any complaints about my exhaustively researched review can be directed towards my attorneys: Hemingway, Salinger, and Melville