The Dog Who Was There

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I readThe Dog Who Was There, in exchange for honest review from Litfuse. The book is Christian-based. I received the ebook version.

About the Book:

No one expected Barley to have an encounter with the Messiah.

He was homeless, hungry, and struggling to survive in first century Jerusalem. Most surprisingly, he was a dog. But through Barley's eyes, the story of a teacher from Galilee comes alive in a way we've never experienced before.

Barley's story begins in the home of a compassionate woodcarver and his wife who find Barley as an abandoned, nearly-drowned pup. Tales of a special teacher from Galilee are reaching their tiny village, but when life suddenly changes again for Barley, he carries the lessons of forgiveness and love out of the woodcarver's home and through the dangerous roads of Roman-occupied Judea.

On the outskirts of Jerusalem, Barley meets a homeless man and petty criminal named Samid. Together, Barley and his unlikely new master experience fresh struggles and new revelations. Soon Barley is swept up into the current of history, culminating in an unforgettable encounter with the truest master of all as he bears witness to the greatest story ever told.

About the Author:

Ron Marasco is a professor in the College of Communication and Fine Arts at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. His first book, "Notes to an Actor," was named by the American Library Association an Outstanding Book of 2008. His second book, "About Grief," has been translated into multiple languages, and he is currently completing a book on Shakespeare's sonnets.

He has acted extensively on TV-from "Lost" to "West Wing" to "Entourage" to originating the role of Mr. Casper on "Freaks and Geeks"-and appeared opposite screen legend Kirk Douglas in the movie "Illusion," for which he also wrote the screenplay. Most recently, he has played the recurring role of Judge Grove on "Major Crimes." He has a BA from Fordham at Lincoln Center and an MA and Ph. D. from UCLA.

Find out more about Ron at http://www.thomasnelson.com/the-dog-who-was-there.

My Review: 

I loved the book and the angle of how the book is told through the eyes of a dog. The book was well written and detailed. The beginning for example, described the house, Barley and his owners (Duv and Adah, an older couple) lived in, from the low ceiling, one window, and the one room house. The author described the road and atmosphere. The author also described some of the daily chores, Adah and Duv did.  The beginning set the atmosphere for the rest of the book. Barley was a happy, observant dog. The story was set in the city of Jerusalem.

I also liked how the author described Duv's woodcarving process of birds. The book starts off slow. The author describes many things, more than what I discussed above. He set each scene beautifully. If you have a kindle or a reader, which has a text-to-speech option, the book is a great listen.

One powerful scene was Barley's nightmare scene. It was graphic and made you feel like you was there. I was glad when the scene was over.

You can purchase the book here. The book comes in Kindle, paperback, hardback, mp3 cd, and audible format. The book is prime-eligible.