Member Reviews
Donne K, Reviewer
"Taking responsibility for another life makes us vulnerable just as much as it strengthens us.” - Cedric Sapin-Defour
Anyone who reads my reviews soon learns that I’m a sucker for a great doggie story. LOVE THEM!!! As a long-time doggie mama, I am well aware of the wonderful, life-altering effects and impressions that our fur babies have on us and our lives together. Having made the choice decades ago to live a childfree life, my fur babies became my “kids”. Some I raised from pups, mostly from litters of family or friend’s doggies, but others I adopted from dog rescues and still others I rescued from the doggie group home (aka the local pound).
"Getting a dog means catching hold of a creature who’s only passing through, committing to a full life that’s bound to be happy, inevitably sad, and in no way sparing.” - Cedric Sapin-Defour
So, it’s not surprising that I loved this story of a man who adopted a puppy from a doggie rescue and was blessed to spend 13yrs together and living life to its fullest. As the book summary states Cedric Sapin-Defour lives near the French Alps where he raised Ubac (named after a mountain) to love the outdoors and exploring the beautiful nature surrounding them and going on adventures every chance they got.
"A dog’s vocation is to protect us from inertia; it’s an antidote to fossilization.” - Cedric Sapin-Defour
Cedric entertains the reader of his trials and tribulations of getting through puppyhood and regales us in the wonder and amazement that he feels in witnessing Ubac’s initiation into the world around him. This is the world that Cedric is making for him that Ubac comes to love and enjoy with his favorite person.
"Tears of happiness aren’t far away, it’s pretty ridiculous how powerful a small moment can be, I hope my life never lets me forget this one.” - Cedric Sapin-Defour
As a doggie mama, I could certainly empathize with the fear and heartache of emergency visits to the vet with a sick or injured fur baby, the horrible time spent in the waiting room and hearing the outcome or diagnosis. The excruciating heartache of coming home without your beloved fur baby. Even worse is the waiting for them to get better until you can bring them home again where you can nurse them back to health.
"Apparantly, there are no long-term rights to happiness without paying a few ransoms.” - Cedric Sapin-Defour
Cedric and Ubac’s lives are enriched with the addition of Mathilde, who shares in the “boys” love of the outdoors. Later, there are the additions of Cordee, who is a beauty that everyone comes to love, especially Ubac, who has deemed himself her protector and becomes like a big brother. Later still, is Frison, who is Ubac’s daughter from his one and only mating with another Bernise Mountain dog. I can certainly relate to a life in a pack of five how much fuller life becomes and how a home overflows with so much love. Been there, done that!
The hardest part of loving and caring for a fur baby is that we are much more likely to outlive them than the other way around. So many of us will do whatever is necessary to prolong our fur babies lives as well as making the end as comfortable and as painless as possible. It’s a hard decision to know when it’s become time to just enjoy whatever time we have left with them.
"We’ve become aware of another misconception of ours; it’s absurd to think that, when one of our dogs dies, our pain will be diminished by the living memory of the other two. The heart doesn’t work like that.” - Cedric Sapin-Defour
No, it most certainly does not, I speak from experience. Cedric illustrates the precious moments where many of us doggie parents are fortunate enough to experience true connection and pure bonding with our fur babies as well as the utter and sheer amazement at being the recipient of their love, loyalty, and devotion. Like all non-fiction stories, I will be rating it on only the material provided and the way in which it was provided. I’m looking at an overall rating of 4.5 that I will be rounding up to a 5star rating. I want to thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #SimonSchuster #UbacandMe
Rin K, Reviewer
From one BMD owner to another; read this memoir! I found this title to be one to cherish. So much of it reminded me of my own BMD and the connection we’ve formed and the powerful role they hold within my life. I don’t typically read memoirs but I found this one to be a walk in the park. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for access to this title; I adored it!
Colleen M, Reviewer
Bernese Mountain Dogs are pretty awesome looking dogs. Ubac and Me was released in French over a year ago and now translated and preparing for the release in the United States.
A man loves a dog, but Ubac sounds like a pretty amazing dog.
The writing is beautiful. I loved reading Ubac and Me and it made me think about how much I loved my pets (especially the really special ones). 4 stars and not 5 because, in my opinion, there could be better transition between chapters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster / S&S/Summit Books for the opportunity to read the advance read copy of Ubac and Me in exchange for an honest review. Approx 224 pages. Release date is Jul 15, 2025.
I wonder if the actual books will contain pictures?
Lori L, Reviewer
I received a copy of the book "Ubac and Me" from NetGalley. This book was written in French about two years ago and translated to English. Cerdric Sapin- jDefour writes of his beloved Burmese Mountain dog he named "Ubac" he adopted him as a puppy and writes lovingly about the dog who was in his life for the next 11 years. It takes a long time in the book before he actually starts writing about his life with Ubac. He mostly writes what he had learned from this beautiful dog. Like slow down pay more attention and enjoy the day. Don't be in such a rush. I liked reading about Ubac when the author wrote about the dog's personality and what it meant to have him for his dog. He writes about how hard it was and the grief he felt over the loss of his wonderful dog. I wish I could like this book more. the parts about Ubac was fine but boring and meandering in other parts of the book. okay for the most part.
Kathryn M, Reviewer
I was invested in getting to know Ubac and enjoyed the story of Ubac and the family. It was a beautifully done storyline and was moved by the memoir element of this. I appreciated Cédric Sapin-Defour sharing this story and was glad I read this.
