vercopaanir's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
I don’t rate memoirs but it’s tempting to rate this one 5 stars. Kuusisto’s prose is absolutely delightful. I think being a poet lends him the ability to use his words to affect our emotions in a way that not all authors are capable of. His relationship with Corky reminds me of my relationship with Blue, my own service dog, and it brought me so much joy to read about.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism and Ableism
Moderate: Eating disorder, Bullying, and Mental illness
Minor: Death and Animal death
ajsterkel's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
In the 1990s, the author lost his job as a poetry professor at a university and decided that he needed to get a guide dog and expand his world. He'd been blind since birth, but his parents saw his disability as shameful, so he learned to navigate without a dog or a white cane. It was extremely dangerous and left him confined to the towns he'd memorized.
The author completely transforms his life over the course of this memoir. For him, it was empowering to admit that he needed help and to educate himself about his disability. It takes an astounding amount of energy to pretend you're not blind. I love seeing how much joy and freedom he got from his dog. Even though this memoir touches on difficult topics (such as growing up blind with alcoholic parents), it's never depressing. It left me smiling.
I like the subject of this book, but the writing style is not my thing. I read the first 10 pages and said, "I'm pretty sure this dude graduated from Iowa Writers Workshop." Then he confirmed that he did! It's very easy for me to recognize their brand of insufferably pretentious weirdness. Sometimes the writing style is weird for the sake of weird. Also, the author quotes from a ton of other sources, so half the book is written by other people. It got on my nerves.
Even though I didn't like the writing, I want to find more stories like this one. I want nonfiction books about animals that are not textbooks and not sappy. I think Stephen Kuusisto found the balance between informational and readable. I appreciate that.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death, Addiction, Ableism, and Alcoholism
amyiw's review against another edition
5.0
4 1/2
I want to give this a 5 but the end lost me in a bit too much philosophy. I don't think I've gotten there in life, maybe I never will. Still the first 80% was very good, great at many points, thought provoking, humorous, life changing (for him), and bit of thought on life and life choices, how we see ourselves and how this can change. I laughed quite a bit and thought quite a bit. I never have known a blind person really. I have a friend with very poor near vision but can drive. He is discriminated with jobs. Still a blind person that cannot easily travel in a new situation or area, no not really. After reading this I feel like a get a bit more of what it means. I also now know why you shouldn't pet a guide dog. I've met a few trainers actually and was told no to pets but not why. I didn't ask or push as I knew they had their reasons. I loved the dog love and learning dog of this book. Dog lovers will either love or really like this book. I was given this book by my step-mom and will give the audio to my adult son. I think he'll appreciate the life changes
I want to give this a 5 but the end lost me in a bit too much philosophy. I don't think I've gotten there in life, maybe I never will. Still the first 80% was very good, great at many points, thought provoking, humorous, life changing (for him), and bit of thought on life and life choices, how we see ourselves and how this can change. I laughed quite a bit and thought quite a bit. I never have known a blind person really. I have a friend with very poor near vision but can drive. He is discriminated with jobs. Still a blind person that cannot easily travel in a new situation or area, no not really. After reading this I feel like a get a bit more of what it means. I also now know why you shouldn't pet a guide dog. I've met a few trainers actually and was told no to pets but not why. I didn't ask or push as I knew they had their reasons. I loved the dog love and learning dog of this book. Dog lovers will either love or really like this book. I was given this book by my step-mom and will give the audio to my adult son. I think he'll appreciate the life changes
bookwyrmed's review against another edition
5.0
I really like Stephen Kuusisto and the way he talks about things and what he has to say. But also he is a real life friend of one of my college advisors and the whole time I was just like "wow his friends are all really just. sarcastic people. No wonder we got along."
rainbowbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
The author retells the hardships he has faced during his life and how life got easier after acquiring a seeing-eye dog. He also shows how few people understand the rights blind people and their dogs have.
dfreeman2809's review against another edition
5.0
My favorite memoirs are the ones that allow me to crawl inside another person's life and experience their struggles and triumphs while also learning about something I didn't previously know much about. This book gave me all the feels while also teaching me more about the history of seeing guide dogs. Just beautiful!
wisetara's review against another edition
5.0
I learned so much about dogs for the blind, and I love the journey these two took!
okayinmybook's review against another edition
5.0
Book Review: Book 4 of 2019! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📚
“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.
-Lauren @okayinmybook on Instagram
📚
“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.
-Lauren @okayinmybook on Instagram
caitz's review against another edition
4.0
As a child, Steve suffered abuse from an alcoholic mother who refused to admit he was disabled, even though he is legally blind. As an adult he stays in small areas where he knows every street, until he loses his job. Now forced to relocate he decides to admit his vulnerability and get a guide dog. This is the story of his trials and joys of living with a guide dog.
judeged's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced