Book Review: Book 4 of 2019! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book: Have Dog, Will Travel: A Poet’s Journey
Author: Stephen Kuusisto
“What a dog can do is entice you to get back into the world. That’s how a dog thinks of it.”
-Stephen Kuusisto
Have Dog, Will Travel: A Poet’s Journey is a memoir written by Stephen Kuusisto. Stephen is a poet and writer and has been legally blind since childhood. Through the book, he tells of how his family taught him to “hide” his disability from others and the constant stress and anxiety it causes.
Nearing age 40 with worsening blindness, Stephen decides to apply for his first ever guide dog. He is accepted and soon meets lovable yellow Labrador Corky who becomes Stephen’s guide dog and best friend. Through Corky’s unwavering protection and unconditional love, Stephen has the world cracked open for him and begins on a true journey of self-acceptance.
This book made me laugh and cry. The relationship between Stephen and Corky is heartwarming and something I won’t forget. I also found myself frustrated for Stephen and Corky as they experience prejudice and discrimination as they move through the world together. I appreciated Stephen including the history of guide dogs and how they have come to be more common since the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
I read this book as part of my broader interest in reading more #ownvoices books this year by individuals who experience life differently than I do. This book changed the way I think about ability and privilege, and is a book I recommend to everyone. What #ownvoices books do you recommend? Let me know in the comments below.
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[Image description: The book Have Dog Will Travel: A Poet’s Journey is featured laying in a gold and white tray. The tray is decorated with small gold, green, red, silver, and blue polka dots resembling confetti. The tray rests on a cream colored cable knit blanket. The book cover is blue and gold with the outline of a guide dog in a harness. The dog’s outline is in gold, the harness outline is in white.]
Okay In My Book 