Buddha's Dogs

By Susan Browne

Book Overview

These poems are at once tender, vulnerable, biting, heartbreaking, and hilarious. One moment you are laughing, the next moment drying your eyes. Edward Hirsch, judge of the Four Way Books 2002 Intro... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1884800564
• ISBN13: 9781884800566
• Release Date: April 2004
• Publisher: Four Way Books
• Length: 85 Pages
• Weight: 0.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Storms And Laughs

As I am also a former student of Susan Browne's, I'm a bit ashamed to admit that I only recently got around to buying this fine book. I'm pleased to report that the collection is shot through with the kind of wry, sad, eyes wide open approach to poetry that Susan has always employed. She is an ardent believer in the healing power of the poem, and Buddha's Dogs, whether it is provoking smiles or quietly tearing your heart out, reflects that faith.

Brilliant poet and an amazing teacher

Susan Browne was my creative English teacher at DVC and to this day, I still think she is the finest teacher I have ever had, bar none. It wasn't just how she encouraged us to sing, standing on our desks, laughing in a yell "Worlds above, worlds below, the world has never seen anyone like me!", or how she taught us to see Whitman, mottled in sunlight on a beautiful spring afternoon, but it was how she was/is a fearless example of her own philosophy. To see her book published makes me feel very proud (go Susan, go!), and reading her poetry validates my admiration of her Self and her work. :)

A steal at twice the cost.

I have a small shop where I carry a few fine books. My customers are loyal and careful about what they read. In three years of business I've received only one hot check. No one has ever stolen from me. One afternoon, an attractive young woman walked in wearing a shirt that said "RENO!" and carrying a large shopping bag from the clothing store down the block. She asked me if I had something wonderful to read and I replied that I did. I asked her if she was in the mood for poetry. She said yes. I handed her my last copy of Buddha's Dogs by Susan Browne, a collection of poems that can make standing difficult after first reading. She took the book to the love seat in the corner and grew so quiet that I'd forgotten she was there. I went about my business serving other customers. After several minutes, the woman rose and moved slowly to the exit. She looked sad, happy and a little disoriented when she nodded goodbye. I was disappointed that she didn't buy the collection I'd recommended but thanked her as she waved her shopping bag out the door. I searched for Buddha's Dogs the rest of that afternoon. I retraced the woman's steps through the store, checked all of the shelves where she'd browsed, looked under the couch cushions. Finally, I accepted that the book was gone and that I'd encountered my first book thief. I've never seen the woman again. So, this is my review and I'm not sure I could offer Buddha's Dogs a higher rating. This book of poems is so good that it can make you a criminal. Buy it but don't lend it.

Amazing

Buddha's Dogs is absolutely wonderful. Inspiring, funny and heartbreaking, I look forward to reading it over and over again. The imagery is so powerful and original, I kept reaching over to read it while I was stuck in traffic. Already I can't wait for her next book!

Fantastic.

This might be Susan Browne's first book, but she is an old pro when it comes to the mastery of poetry. To writing about dancing with her father to teaching a student that doesn't like Emily Dickinson and then poems about her mother's death, Browne tells stories that could break your heart, yet then you start to laugh at her wise observations on life. A definite recommendation.