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

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.