The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • From the best-selling, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All Over but the Shoutin', the warmhearted and hilarious story of how his life was transformed by his love for a poorly behaved, half-blind stray dog.
Speck is not a good boy. He is a terrible boy, a defiant, self-destructive, often malodorous boy, a grave robber and screen door moocher who spends his days playing chicken with the Fed Ex man, picking fights with thousand-pound livestock, and rolling in donkey manure, and his nights howling at the moon. He has been that way since the moment he appeared on the ridgeline behind Rick Bragg's house, a starved and half-dead creature, seventy-six pounds of wet hair and poor decisions.
Speck arrived in Rick's life at a moment of looming uncertainty. A cancer diagnosis, chemo, kidney failure, and recurring pneumonia had left Rick lethargic and melancholy. Speck helped, and he is helping, still, when he is not peeing on the rose of Sharon. Written with Bragg's inimitable blend of tenderness and sorrow, humor and grit, The Speckled Beauty captures the extraordinary, sustaining devotion between two damaged creatures who need each other to heal.
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Community Reviews
I. LOVED. THIS. STORY!!! It was hilarious!!! It reminded me of Marley from Marley and Me only Speck doesn’t die in the story. I also adore Rick Bragg!!! The world needs more kind and compassionate dog lovers like Bragg. This was an audiobook that I listened to during my daily exercise sessions before and after I finished working for the day. First and foremost, Bragg narrated the book and he has such a nice and pleasant voice to listen to with his smooth southern accent, diction and vernacular. I could listen to that man read the dictionary. Secondly, his story of his dog Speck and his numerous antics and shenanigans had me cracking up every few passages. So, of course, there were the requisite stares from people in my general vicinity who thought I was probably some crazy lady laughing at nothing.
This story reminded me of many of the fur babies I’ve had throughout my lifetime. Specifically, one from my childhood, a Weimaraner/Labrador mix named Brock. Like Speck, Brock was a rescue who couldn’t be owned or contained but simply allowed us to periodically cater to him whenever he chose to grace us with his presence. Although, Smoky (the family cat) did everything possible to deter Brock from returning home and made sure Brock knew that every chance he got. Bathing Brock was an adventure that took the whole lot of us to get a somewhat presentable look from him and we ended up looking like drowned rats. Thank goodness he was a short haired dog that didn’t require grooming.
Brock was also a great partner in crime for me and my brothers and never seemed to mind when we blamed our failed capers on him. With age, neutering and one too many injuries from his adventures after a jail break (escaping the backyard and it’s 6ft fence), Brock settled down and chose to take residence on a backyard chaise lounge most days. Eventually, Brock crossed the rainbow bridge out on a bench on the front porch watching yard TV. Probably dreaming of his younger days and numerous adventures gone by. God, I loved that dog😊
Anyway, along with the laughs there were some tear-jerking passages in Bragg's story as well that broke my heart. The epilogue seemed to have come too quickly. This is the perfect place to wrap up my doggie story binge (4th doggie story this month).
This story reminded me of many of the fur babies I’ve had throughout my lifetime. Specifically, one from my childhood, a Weimaraner/Labrador mix named Brock. Like Speck, Brock was a rescue who couldn’t be owned or contained but simply allowed us to periodically cater to him whenever he chose to grace us with his presence. Although, Smoky (the family cat) did everything possible to deter Brock from returning home and made sure Brock knew that every chance he got. Bathing Brock was an adventure that took the whole lot of us to get a somewhat presentable look from him and we ended up looking like drowned rats. Thank goodness he was a short haired dog that didn’t require grooming.
Brock was also a great partner in crime for me and my brothers and never seemed to mind when we blamed our failed capers on him. With age, neutering and one too many injuries from his adventures after a jail break (escaping the backyard and it’s 6ft fence), Brock settled down and chose to take residence on a backyard chaise lounge most days. Eventually, Brock crossed the rainbow bridge out on a bench on the front porch watching yard TV. Probably dreaming of his younger days and numerous adventures gone by. God, I loved that dog😊
Anyway, along with the laughs there were some tear-jerking passages in Bragg's story as well that broke my heart. The epilogue seemed to have come too quickly. This is the perfect place to wrap up my doggie story binge (4th doggie story this month).
