I've got 4 rescue dogs, and 5 rescue cats I don't take the cats for walks though ! I enjoyed this tale of one man and his dog, and their adventures while walking.It was not a taxing read,and is perfect for these strange times.Lovely little book,well worth a read if you are an animal lover like me,especially.

A light and sweet read perfect for escapist pandemic reading and particularly recommended for dog lovers.

A feel good read in this time of troubles. One man's journey of walks with his dog and his ruminations on life. The good, the bad and even the ugly. It was great! The book read so fast as each chapter was each individual walk and what was learned that day! This book is good for anyone that loves dogs and life lessons. Thank you NetGalley for the arc!


Blog post closer to the publication date.

I wanted to read Walks With Sam because of the dog on the cover, and the book did not disappoint! Walks With Sam is a delightful collection of essay's about the author's daily walks with his young goldendoodle named Sam. Each essay includes notes about that day's walk, as well as insights and ruminations about life, marriage, parenting, and growing older. The format of the book makes it easy to pick up and put down when you have time to read.

I would recommend this book for fellow dog lovers and owners. It's a perfect read for fans of Marley and Me, without a heartbreaking ending.

A pleasant easy read, chronicling a man’s walk with his dog. Observing all going on around them and reflecting back on previous events.

*3.5 Stars *
My little old dog
a heart-beat
at my feet”
― Edith Wharton

Amongst the mayhem and madness that is Covid-19, comes a little respite, in the form of this delightful novel about author David Berner and his labradoodle Sam, relating the contemplative walks that they share around their neighbourhood, finding meaning in the smallest of things, along with David’s attempts at conversation with Sam, and him imagining her replies.

This novel clearly demonstrates the beauty, healing, and redemptive power of a leisurely walk, especially in the company of that devoted creature, better known as man’s best friend. The sheer ordinary ness of their daily encounters, lends a charm that is often lacking today.

If you have, or have had a dog, you’ll recognise in this book, the special bond that is shared with your four legged friend - it defies all reason - take the way that your dog seems to know if you’re feeling sad, and acts accordingly, just as you learn all of their little quirks and needs. As a former dog owner (who still adores dogs) I am privileged to know how it feels to receive unconditional love from a furry friend, and each and every one of those special animals who have shared my life, will forever have a place in my heart. Split into walks rather than chapters, this novel is sure to appeal to dog lovers around the world.

Walks With Sam was an engaging read, but I struggled at points with it.
It is lighthearted and a good choice against the negativity in everyday media today. I occasionally found the author’s insights a bit corny - I rolled my eyes a few times. However, that is the enjoyable factor to this book - the simplicity and the pondering about this and that observation. I enjoyed experiencing the detail of everyday life observations - how much the author saw while ambling about slowly that our busy, technology-addicted culture might miss.
Overall this was a worthwhile read for me and I would still recommend the book to dog people and those seeking to feel grounded in our present culture.

Walks with Sam sounded an interesting idea, a book I could drop onto and read piecemeal around other books or activities in my life, so imagine my surprise when I read it in a couple of sittings.

A very thoughtful and thought inspiring series of short essays, linked with one man walking his trusty companion. A simple idea and yet fulfilling contents.

I would thoroughly recommend this.

He had me at “dog” and “walk.” But the rest of this book is so absorbing and delightful, it's like wading into eddies of grace and riding 'em into deep water.

Walks With Sam isn’t another “dog book.” It’s more of a journey of self-discovery. Or maybe re-discovery. The author, age 60, is on sabbatical from Columbia College, Chicago. He begins his regular “mini adventures” in neighborhood walks with his beloved dog, Sam. Along the way Berner asks, “What might we learn from each other, find out about ourselves, and when this season of walking is behind us, who will we be?”

Walks With Sam unveils the answer.

With great skill and literary dexterity, the author eloquently captures “the beauty and redemptive power of a contemplative walk, and especially a walk with one’s dog.” You feel as if you’re at their side, tagging along.

Lucid and lithe, the text glides effortlessly from one walk and setting to the next. The writing is top-notch, brimming with warmth and full-bodied flavor. It’s as crisp and clear as an October night sky.

The author tosses out narrative bait at the beginning of each “walk” or chapter. A pungent statement or musing. An aromatic observation or interrogatory. Then he skillfully reels us in, rounding out each chapter with relevant reflections from his walks and interactions with Sam.

Two favorite chapters are Walks 14 and 15, “Rain” and “Summer,” respectively. In rich, lyrical prose the author offers gentle insights into a wide variety of experiences and observations. A steaming summer in Chicago. (Does anyone run through sprinklers anymore?) Patience. Mindfulness. Reunions and remembering. Wanting what’s out of reach. Joy. Forgiveness. Woodstock and Watergate and walks in the rain. Jacques Cousteau. The difference between alone and lonely. In-the-moment-ness that dogs know so thoroughly and do so well.

The final chapter is Walk 31 – And Now We Rest. The author’s sabbatical is at an end. He peers over the observations and lessons of the past four months of walks with Sam and pens a galaxy of glittering word pictures while ruminating on art, aging, relationships, and nature. Much more. Indeed, the final chapter is wistful and bittersweet. Candid, poignant, and thoughtful. “You are what you do.” I didn’t want it to end. Will someone kindly pass the tissue?

P.S.: Be sure to read the Acknowledgements. They’re golden.
P.S.S.: Walks With Sam strays into PCville a little too often. However, I loved the bulk of this book so much, I’m willing to overlook the occasional detour. Just don’t make it a habit, okay?

#WalksWithSam
#NetGalley

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars.

Sam is a dog. A black golden doodle and on his walks with his owner David the two of them discover not just their local neighbourhood but also their feelings about it and some of the things that are going on in it.

This is no epic travel piece, it is a more sedate, local amble or series of ambles around Sam and David's local "patch" which they discover they don't know as well as they thought but by the end of the book know it and themselves much better.

This is a well written and captivating set of stories, each based around a walk experienced by human and hound. There are some of regulars, like the crazy man and others that they meet along the way. It is in part a journey of discovery with both partners at different times in their lives and in part about the actual journeys they take together.

If you liked Travels with Charley or Travels with Macy or similar stories then you are probable going to like Walks with Sam too.

I loved this book! Just so sweet, lovely and easy to enjoy. It's split into "walks" rather than chapters which is cute. I will say I think there's some unrealized potential here in terms of ability to make deeper connections and observations, but at the same time what is here is lovely and a perfectly nice read. I haven't smiled this much at a book in quite a while!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy.

I welcomed the chance to read this book as I'm using extra lockdown time gained to read things that I would probably not usually try. I'm not a dog-lover but I do enjoy a good, solitary, contemplative walk and so I felt that there was a potential commonality to be shared.

The book is split into relatively short "walks" rather than chapters. Having read the first few I wasn't really being drawn in and I felt that, although the premise was good, much more could have been made of the observations that were noted by Berner. Perhaps this was due to the fact that my previous read was a more academic, psychological text? However, a comfortable chair and tree-dappled sunlight meant that I persisted and, in part, I'm glad I did.

The read was easy which meant that there was space in the text for thought and further personal exploration of the ideas. Berner’s insights didn't strike me as particularly profound or original, but there was more than a nod to the practice of mindfulness and finding meaning and joy in the simple and everyday. Projecting some of these thoughts and observations onto the dog, Sam, perhaps allowed me a greater space to understand what it is to be human, to emote and to live as, stripped of the human cloak, it was possible to be free of traditional constraints.

I'd have loved for the author to have expanded on some of the ideas, and be less repetitive with others but, overall I'm glad that I found this text (and the "September" playlist contained therein) and will enjoy pondering some of the ideas when next I walk.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Walks with Sam is a lovely book. It is humorous and gentle. David W Berner takes morning walks with his Labradoodle Sam, a lovely young dog. I love the way David talks to Sam and imagines his responses. A really happy book I highly recommend it.

An enjoyable read as the author describes his walks with his dog, Sam, and the thoughts that these walks provoke.

Walks with Sam initially appealed to me for 2 reasons: walking in, and communing with, nature, and dogs. I myself love taking walks as a way to soothe, get away from distractions or stress, to refocus. As for dogs, I love them, and I was in search of a short, cute book to help with a reading slump, and Walks with Sam seemed perfect. I will say I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought. I couldn’t focus on it for a long period of time (although that could be attributed to the slump, not the book itself), so the under-200 reflection took longer to read than normal, and it sometimes felt like a chore. The author’s insights weren’t particularly profound or original, but he did emphasize taking joy and finding meaning in the simple, small, basic things we don’t normally notice, which he did do consistently throughout his journey. His discussions of Sam were sweet, endearing, and often humorous as he imagines what’s going on in his dog’s mind. It was a nice read for the time, and I do believe it will make me pay attention more and be more present during my future walks.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
I admit I judged this book by its cover but I usually can't resist a book that has a dog on the front. I enjoyed this book. It's a light read, which I needed. I like that he based each chapter about a different but simple walk, usually through their neighborhood. I have two dogs with very different personalities so I really related to his attempt to walk two dogs at once. It definitely doesn't work well with my two. And I admit that my husband and I talk to our dogs like they're humans.
As a dog owner and lover, I recommend this book to anyone who likes dogs.

If I see a dog on the cover, I immediately request it. I don't even read the summary or look at any possible reviews - I just request it and hope for the best. Walks With Sam is about walks that David W. Berner takes with his labradoodle Sam and the adventures that await them. I had a golden doodle once so that was a wonderful surprise to me. Sam reminded me so much of my own dog and it made me happy. I loved that Berner often talks to his dog and wonder what her thoughts are about certain things because I do the same thing, as I'm sure most people with dogs do. Throughout the walks, there are random thoughts and musings about life such as growing into adulthood, signs of aging, death, and that change is inevitable. I really loved this one and it made me feel both happy and sad.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy!