Puppy Chow is Better Than Prozac: The True Story of a Man and the Dog Who Saved His Life

Amazing This story is moving, funny, scary and just amazing I couldn t read it fast enough If you know someone or are someone who struggles with mental illness, or are firm believer in the important role that dogs play in our lives you ll love this book.

A first rate novel, told in the most humorous and intelligent way possible Goldstein has a knack for discussing some of the most sad experiences with a level of wit and wisdom which leaves you feeling like you are talking to a dear friend In fact, Goldstein humanizes mental illness in an incredibly sensitive way that does not allow for shame or self pity Although bipolar disorder is a hard issue, Goldstein makes his book a safe place where it s okay to admit you re weird and need help, without w [...]

I loved this book when I read it a couple of years ago The narrator of the book suffers from severe depression He is often unable to get up and perform basic tasks and has extreme social anxiety After getting a puppy, he realizes that he needs to take responsibility not only for himself, but for another life as well A puppy who loves and relies on him With the help of medical treatnment and hard work, the narrator is able to meet new people and come out of the darkness due to the human animal bo [...]

One of the best Doggie nonfiction books out there, in my opinion The first part paints a picture of a manic depressive man and gives you a detailed, and often scary look into his psyche The rest introduces you to the world of puppies and shows how such a creature can save your life It also has some nice little training tips that he imbeds in there without throwing them into your face Thank you, for Nature s Miracle Spray.

I really liked this book The book was easy to get into and I felt I knew the author and what he was going through I know how it is to go through having a dog and raising it I felt Ozzie was like my dog Lady She was the first dog I ever raised.

An enjoyable read the personal story of a young, self absorbed, bipolar man living in New York City whose life gets turned around by an intelligent, loving black lab puppy Great dog descriptions.

There are a lot of things I really liked about this book, and some things I really disliked Bruce Goldstein does a good job of explaining one man s experience living with bipolar disorder, and a great job explaining what it was like for him to adopt Ozzy, a friendly happy go lucky lab pup One of the best things about this book is the fact that Goldstein does not pretend, even for a minute, that Ozzy was an easy adjustment He describes the growing pains and his fear and frustration while adjustin [...]

This book is a trip I use this word because nowadays everyone is taking a journey It is compelling in that anyone that has had or been through any level of depression can see the world through Bruce s eyes and to some degree what he was going through I have this feeling that his journals were a detrimental sp part of the beginning chapters Setting the stage up to the point in time when Ozzy came into Bruce s life.I don t recommend this book to everyone, only in that some people have never been t [...]

A roller coaster ride with a puppy produced happy ending If you love dogs or transformation stories, you ll like this one It was also informative in the sense that I understand bipolar and manic depression a lot better than if I had just read a non fiction book about it.A couple of things One, the pun filled, light hearted tone felt extremely out of place in many of the passages If the author is having a full on meltdown where he is hallucinating about the devil and his knives beckoning him into [...]

I really enjoyed reading this book It probably has something to do with the fact that I m a fairly new puppy mom myself I got my little mutt just a few months ago because I NEEDED a dog That s right, not wanted, I needed a dog After the death of my cat a couple years ago, I needed to fill the void left by a furry creature And I just hadn t been very happy with where I was right now in life job, city, friends, etc And so enters my puppy This book reinforced my views that pets really are great the [...]

An interesting read Shows the reader what it is like to live with bipolar disorder The protagonist is a single man in his 20s that feels lonely and invisible to the world while he suffers with his ailments bipolar and Crohns I am certain there is a link although it is never mentioned in the book or with doctors treating similar pts today He seems so alone in his world of disease until he gets a puppy The dog opens up his world he has someone other than himself to think about, and people approach [...]

a great book, from someone who is also crazy and has a new puppy.

I didn t appreciate the language in parts but really enjoyed the story learning about bipolar and being reaffirmed in how wonderful pets can be for us psychologically

I almost gave this book 3 stars, because I did like it It is part bipolar memoir and part raising a puppy memoir The bipolar parts particularly were interesting in their similarities and differences, for that matter to my experiences It is a hard subject to explain to people who haven t experienced it, so I like to see how other people attempt to explain things.The raising a puppy parts of the book were ok, not super exciting There is a lot of focus on the puppy pissing and shitting on things, a [...]

I was excited to read this book because I love to read about mental illness and I am also a big fan of animal assisted therapy However, while the book wasn t bad by any means, I wasn t blown away either It was just okay The author goes through than half of the book talking about his bipolar disorder before he gets to the part where he gets Ozzy Though I am glad that the author found a healthy way to cope with his bipolar disorder and I can relate to the healing power that pets can have.

A former advertising copywriter talks about how, as he was slowly emerging from the worst depths of his bipolar condition, he decides to adopt a puppy Goldstein doesn t hold anything back when discussing his toughest episodes including hallucinations that he was being goaded to suicide or his initial reluctance to seek treatment, and he doesn t try to pretend that Ozzy was a quick fix solution to his problems.I interviewed Goldstein in the spring of 2008.

I don t usually give books 5 stars, but I absolutely loved loved, loved this one It s a really good mix between describing this guy s dog and his personal medical issues Goldstein does a great job at describing his illness, and then how the dog helps him through it Not too long, not too short doesn t drag I loved it Quick read

The author is amazing in his honesty and description of his bi polar condition and, of course, the wonderful dog that truly saved his life This was one of those books that you really couldn t put down I found myself sneak reading it when I was supposed to be doing something else.

Amazing.I loved it I drank in the pages nightlyand now that I have finished,I am sad it is over The author has a great personality and you cant help but love him and hisPuuuppeee Ozzy is the man

I learned a lot about manic depression than dogs from this book I have a very limited knowledge of the mental illness and this book gave me a better understanding of what people with manic depression go through on a daily basis This isn t just another dog book so give it a shot

Interesting this dog probably saved the authors life.

Great book A true example of how animals are often the best medicine Bruce and Ozzy are a great pair, and I m happy they have each other.

Bruce Goldstein battle some severe mental illness and when medication and therapy aren t quite enough, he gets a dog A black lab puppy named Ozzy gives him something to focus on besides his anxiety and helps him make great strides towards a healthier life Goes to show the power of a dog s love something I ve never doubted

This is one of those books where I am better at just reading it than explaining why I enjoyed reading it Does that make sense As promised, here is the review all.0002 cents worth of it I acquired this book during a late night trip to Barnes and Noble As the Matthew Gray Gubler look alike behind the counter stared at me I couldn t help but think about the stigma of mental illness and society s inability to accept its own humanity With a title like, Puppy Chow is Better Than Prozac you can t help [...]

This is a very touching story about a dog saving his master from himself.except it was told in a much self aware and honest way in Dog Years While Mark Doty brought you with him in his descriptions of staring at the Hudson River, contemplating suicide and while you felt the blackness of depression descend over you and the author both, in Puppy Chow is Better Than Prozac The True Story of a Man and the Dog Who Saved His Life, the author weighs down his story with cliches and focuses way too much [...]

Great readThis book gives very good insight into the mind of someone with mental illness I could feel everything he was going through Of course I ve never been one to turn down a book with a dog either It was a very different type of read however than others before now Mental illness is a huge topic of discussion lately No matter what there is always someone to talk to about life with no judgements We should never turn our backs on individuals who need help I would recommend this book to everyon [...]

I thought this book was wonderful It starts off sad as he is discussing his life before Ozzy but it gets better after he gets Ozzy The parts with Ozzy were really funny and I could totally relate as I have a puppy myself and have been there If you have ever had or loved a dog then you will understand the parts about Ozzy as a puppy and what the author goes through when he first gets him Some of those times are pretty funny In fact, I actually laughed out loud at a couple of points Definitely one [...]

What a fantastic look into the mind of a truly Bipolar individual His description of his racing manic mind is exceptional This book is an excellent example of how animal therapy really can change lives Being a Lab mommy myself, I couldn t help but giggle as he depicts his early days of puppy training and how everything is a chew toy for a young lab I could totally relate This is a quick read The book is grammatically flawed but if you can look beyond that and see Goldstein s struggle and how Ozz [...]

From the start, this one is tearfully, embarrassingly, heart spillingly honest It even opens with a little prayer, from a manic depressive to God It s melodramatic and it s sappy But keep reading This probably wasn t the easiest thing for the author to share, and it has value for that reason.For those who have struggled with depression, for those who know the sharpness of sensitivity, and of course for those who love their dogs, this story offers hope and happiness.2 stars out of 5 The writing i [...]

I thought this book was ok, but I didn t think it was that good While I thought he had a great story going for him, I failed to really enjoy the narrator author I know it s hard to compare this book to Marley and Me because of the completely different story lines, but I really thought Marley was better I fell in love with both the dog and his owners, and in this book I really just didn t fall in love with anyone.