Puppy Chow Is Better Than Prozac
The True Story of a Man and the Dog Who Saved His Life
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
To Bruce Goldstein-an edgy, twenty-something New Yorker trying to make his mark in advertising-just waking up in the morning was an ordeal. Underemployed and recently dumped, he was well into the downward spiral of bipolar disorder. Even with therapy, lithium, Paxil, Wellbutrin, and Prozac, he could not shake his rapid mood swings, his fear of dying, or the voice of Satan, who first visited him one sunny day in Central Park. Then came Ozzy, a black Labrador pup (named after metal's "Prince of Darkness") who leads Bruce toward recovery through complete, canine dependence. From the depths of his despair to a life remade, Bruce shows how learning to care for, train, and love the hilariously loyal Ozzy provided him with the structure and focus he needed to heal.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this man-boy-meets-dog memoir, first time author Goldstein hits a number of satisfying, if familiar, notes relating his story of heartbreak, mental illness and redemption in the big city. Suffering with bipolar disorder, crohns disease, a lousy job at a "possessed advertising agency" and a devastating breakup, New York-based twenty-something Goldstein decides owning a dog might help him to better cope with life. Though the narrative takes time to get going, the story gains momentum once Ozzy the black lab enters the picture. Despite looking like one of the "pricey stuffed animals from FAO Schwartz," Ozzy was "more than alive." Soon, the dog's boundless vitality and complete dependence are leading Goldstein from the brink, challenging him to take responsibility for himself as well as his furry charge and teaching him the joy of selflessness. Goldstein's chronicle is funny and absorbing, and should have dog lovers nodding along in happy recognition.
