Brown Dog

By: Jim Harrison

Narrated by: Bronson Pinchot, Ray Porter, Lloyd James

Length: 18 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's Summary

New York Times best-selling author Jim Harrison is one of America's most beloved writers, and of all his creations, Brown Dog - a bawdy, reckless, down-on-his-luck Michigan Indian - has earned cult status with readers in the more than two decades since his first appearance. For the first time, Brown Dog gathers all the Brown Dog novellas, including one never before published, into one volume - the ideal introduction (or reintroduction) to Harrison's irresistible Everyman.

In these novellas, BD rescues the preserved body of an Indian from Lake Superior's cold waters; overindulges in food, drink, and women while just scraping by in Michigan's Upper Peninsula; wanders Los Angeles in search of an ersatz Native activist who stole his bearskin; adopts two Native children; and flees the authorities then returns across the Canadian borderaboard an Indian rock band's tour bus.

©2013 Jim Harrison (P)2013 Blackstone Audio

What a Hoot!

I had never heard of Harrison or Brown Dog before this collection came out. I am so glad I took a chance on something new! Brown Dog is a rascal who drinks too much, womanizes too much, and works too little. Although not politically correct, I identified with him and laughed out loud as he found a way to make ends meet in the UP (Upper Peninsula of Michigan).

Although many will be turned off by this simple and self centered man, he is also thoughtful, soulful, and loyal. He takes care of and helps out those he comes in contact with and doesn't exploit those who are down on their luck. Happy and content to fish, and able to survive on very little, I delighted in his full on hedonism and acceptance of life as he found it.

What a hoot!

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

Falling for Brown Dog

I downloaded this story simply because of the title"Brown Dog". Call me crazy but by the time I finished listening to the story of the hapless, hopeless, gentle, unaffected man, I was in love. Such a wonderful depiction of North American wilderness added immensely to this sometimes very funny, sometimes excruciatingly poignant story. Some overtly 'scenic' reflections of BD's sex life made me laugh out loud and/or cry.

What a deeply "human" man, is Brown Dog.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

Enter the mind of a 'natural' man

I was a bit startled with some of the activities BD got up to but as the novellas progressed I started to care about this man and how his life was progressing, (not always the most appropriate word to describe his passing years), not a good man or a bad one, just one who loved his part of the world. A worthy listen.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Intense Dislike

An awful book. Misogynistic, drunken, socially-maladjusted men are not entertaining, in my opinion. I tried and tried to find something redeeming in this character or the stories - but failed to do so.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

A pleasant read....for guys

Well, the performers were pretty marginal. The first reader either couldn't read, or was trying to give the impression that Brown Dog, the main character was learning disabled, (BD certainly is not!) One of the later readers was so ignorant of rural life that he pronounced "mow", as in "The hay mow in the barn" as "moe", like "mow the grass". Are there no editors?

I enjoyed the sedately paced story of a free man dealing with the modern world. It is set in the same country, rivers and woods as Hemingway's "Nick Adams" short stories, but several generations later and from a very different, but oddly sympathetic viewpoint. The stories did nice job of taking me to the deep woods of the Upper Peninsula, with their natural beauty and the idiosyncratic characters who inhabit them, and showing me the world through the eyes of a man with far fewer inhibitions than I. Because I found Brown Dog"s view rather appealing, I'd be a little wary of recommending this as a good read to my very feminist wife. I might well get in trouble for even identifying with, much less, rather liking Brown Dog. A good, if not great book. Well worth the time and money.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Ammazing book

Jim Harrison is one of the best writers I have ever listened to. Brown Dog will forever be in my memory as one of the most unique individuals ever created in literature. How a writer could create such a detailed three dimensional character as BD is nothing short of genius. This is also a wonderfully engaging book with many unique characters, both human and animal, and upstate Michigan rural adventure. Lots of trout fishing, hunting and bawdy sex. Listen to this book!!!

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Brought back memories

I enjoyed Harrison's writing. Authentic and rambling, just like listening to a story told by family or friends. I was stationed in the U.P. back in the mid-80's ...and the descriptions of places I have been brought back a lot of good memories.

Great story, but one of the narrators is off

These are great stories about an Everyman type living an incredible life on the U.P.. However, the narrator for the “LA story” and the last novella is awful. He has a weird inflection that makes the story hard to understand. He also mispronounces key places and makes Natives sound like drunk Canadians. Wish I would have read the book instead.

We all have a brown dog in our souls

All the tales of Harrison's classic neer-do-well of the upper peninsula in one unimpeded work.
My only criticism, as in all audible books, is there is no method to tell where or which novella you are in, as the chapters do not match the story changes.

Local place names are badly mangled

Though the narration is otherwise ok, the frequent gross mispronunciation of local place names is jarring to the ear. Jim Harrison would roll over in his grave if he heard our beautiful Mackinac Bridge called the "Mack-in-ack" Bridge instead of "Mack-in-awe". Just one of many.