Woodrow on the Bench: Life Lessons from a Wise Old Dog

by Jenna Blum

Overview

“When I say Jenna Blum’s upcoming Woodrow on the Bench wrecked me and that I’m now sobbing eating all the chocolate, I mean it in the best way possible.”—Jodi Picoult 

"Jenna Blum's wonderful moving memoir, is a “girl and her dog” story for the ages!”—Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain

The New York Times and internationally bestselling author of Those Who Save Us pays tribute to her beloved black Lab, Woodrow, in this beautiful memoir that recalls the last six months of his life and the ways in which he taught her to live. 

 “For anyone who’s ever loved an old dog.”

Since she adopted him as a puppy fifteen years earlier, Jenna Blum and Woodrow have been inseparable. Known to many as “the George Clooney of dogs” for his good looks and charm, Woodrow and his “Mommoo” are fixtures in their Boston neighborhood. 

But Woodrow is aging. As he begins to fail, the true nature of his extraordinary relationship with Jenna is revealed. Jenna may be the dog parent, but it is Woodrow, with his amazing personality and trusting nature, who has much to teach her. A divorcée who has experienced her share of sadness and loss, Jenna discovers, over the months she spends caring for her ailing dog, what it is to be present in the moment, and what it truly means to love.

Aided by an amazing group of friends and buoyed by the support of strangers, Jenna and Woodrow navigate these precious final days together with kindness, humor, and grace. Their unforgettable love story will reaffirm your belief in kindness, break your heart, and leave your spirit soaring.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063113183
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	11/09/2021
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 7.70(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Jenna Blum is the New York Times and # 1 internationally bestselling author of novels Those Who Save Us, The Stormchasers, and The Lost Family; memoir Woodrow on the Bench; audiocourse “The Author at Work: The Art of Writing Fiction” and original podcast The Key of Love. Jenna is CEO and Co-Founder of online author interview platform A Mighty Blaze and one of Oprah.com readers’ Top 30 Women Writers. Jenna earned her MA in Creative Writing at Boston University and has taught workshops for Boston University, Grub Street Writers, A Mighty Blaze, and numerous other institutions for over 25 years. She interviewed Holocaust survivors for Steven Spielberg’s Survivors of the Shoah Visual History Foundation and is a professional public speaker, traveling nationally and internationally to speak about her work. Jenna is based in Boston. For more about Jenna, please visit www.jennablum.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, TikTok, and Substack.  

Editorial Reviews

"The brilliance of dogs shines brightest when their complexity is reduced to its simplest form: be there for me; love me. In Jenna Blum’s wonderful, moving memoir, the depth of this simplicity is made clear by the author's relationship with the noble, lovable Woodrow, an old dog with a soul so big, it spills over and changes everyone he touches. Woodrow on the Bench is a 'girl and her dog' story for the ages!” — Garth Stein, author of The Art of Racing in the Rain

"Acclaimed for her brilliant fiction, Jenna Blum now gets deeply personal in her first dazzling memoir, about how loving and caring for her old black lab Woodrow dramatically changed her life, her outlook, and her Boston community. A richly funny, moving Valentine to Woodrow and to the extraordinary things he taught her, this enchanting memoir also offers up an exquisite truth: keep opening up your heart, especially when things get tough, because whatever the cost, however long or short the duration, love is always, always worth it." — Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You, Cruel Beautiful World and With or Without You

“When I say Jenna Blum’s Woodrow on the Bench wrecked me and that I’m now sobbing and eating all the chocolate, I mean it in the best way possible.” — Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of Wish You Were Here

"Woodrow on the Bench is a touching tribute as well as a gripping story that will make you laugh and cry. It will also make you understand the majesty and wisdom imparted by the animals we are lucky to keep by our sides for as long as we can.” — Elizabeth Berg, New York Times bestselling author

"In Woodrow on the Bench, New York Times bestselling Author Jenna Blum pens a heart-wrenching and unforgettable memoir about life with her beloved Labrador, Woodrow. So much more than a dog’s story, this book is about the love we give and get, the lessons learned along the way, the families and communities we build, and a giant hurrah for humanity and dogmanity. Two paws up for America’s next great read about woman’s best friend!" — Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman with the Blue Star

“Jenna Blum has written a glorious love letter to her beloved Woodrow, and it is truly a gift to dog (and pet) lovers everywhere. Heartbreaking and uplifting, funny and wise.”  — Julie Klam, New York Times bestselling author of Love at First Bark and You Had Me at Woof

"With beautifully written tenderness and gratitude, Blum says goodbye to the love of her life. This is both a heartbreaking love story and a joyful ode to bacon, and I loved every word." — Kate Christensen, PEN/Faulkner award-winning author of The Great Man and Blue Plate Special

“Wise, wrenching, and devastatingly beautiful…This book is a gem. Read it. You’ll love it and you’ll love Woodrow, and you’ll glimpse love in all its majesty.” — Chris Bohjalian, New York Times bestselling author of The Lioness

From the Publisher

"With beautifully written tenderness and gratitude, Blum says goodbye to the love of her life. This is both a heartbreaking love story and a joyful ode to bacon, and I loved every word."

Kate Christensen

Jenna Blum has written a glorious love letter to her beloved Woodrow, and it is truly a gift to dog (and pet) lovers everywhere. Heartbreaking and uplifting, funny and wise.” 

Julie Klam

"Woodrow on the Bench is a touching tribute as well as a gripping story that will make you laugh and cry. It will also make you understand the majesty and wisdom imparted by the animals we are lucky to keep by our sides for as long as we can.

New York Times bestselling author Elizabeth Berg

"Acclaimed for her brilliant fiction, Jenna Blum now gets deeply personal in her first dazzling memoir, about how loving and caring for her old black lab Woodrow dramatically changed her life, her outlook, and her Boston community. A richly funny, moving Valentine to Woodrow and to the extraordinary things he taught her, this enchanting memoir also offers up an exquisite truth: keep opening up your heart, especially when things get tough, because whatever the cost, however long or short the duration, love is always, always worth it."

Caroline Leavitt

"The brilliance of dogs shines brightest when their complexity is reduced to its simplest form: be there for me; love me. In Jenna Blum’s wonderful, moving memoir, the depth of this simplicity is made clear by the author's relationship with the noble, lovable Woodrow, an old dog with a soul so big, it spills over and changes everyone he touches. Woodrow on the Bench is a “girl and her dog” story for the ages!

Garth Stein

"In Woodrow on the Bench, New York Times bestselling Author Jenna Blum pens a heart-wrenching and unforgettable memoir about life with her beloved Labrador, Woodrow. So much more than a dog’s story, this book is about the love we give and get, the lessons learned along the way, the families and communities we build, and a giant hurrah for humanity and dogmanity. Two paws up for America’s next great read about woman’s best friend!"

Pam Jenoff