Familiaris

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars | 1,557 ratings

Price: 20.37

Last update: 01-01-2025


About this item

Oprah’s Book Club Pick for Summer 2024

The follow-up to the beloved #1 New York Times bestselling modern classic The Story of Edgar Sawtelle, Familiaris is the stirring origin story of the Sawtelle family and the remarkable dogs that carry the Sawtelle name.

It is spring 1919, and John Sawtelle’s imagination has gotten him into trouble … again. Now John and his newlywed wife, Mary, along with their two best friends and their three dogs, are setting off for Wisconsin’s northwoods, where they hope to make a fresh start—and, with a little luck, discover what it takes to live a life of meaning, purpose, and adventure. But the place they are headed for is far stranger and more perilous than they realize, and it will take all their ingenuity, along with a few new friends—human, animal, and otherworldly—to realize their dreams.

By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, mysterious and enchanting, Familiaris takes listeners on an unforgettable journey from the halls of a small-town automobile factory, through an epic midwestern firestorm and an ambitious WWII dog-training program, and far back into mankind’s ancient past, examining the dynamics of love and friendship, the vexing nature of families, the universal desire to create something lasting and beautiful, and of course, the species-long partnership between Homo sapiens and Canis familiaris.


Top reviews from the United States

  • Jay
    5.0 out of 5 stars Moving and Deeply received
    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2024
    I loved this book and already miss these characters. They were brought to life by a skilled mind that wove a meaningful story. There is delightful humor, mystery and mysticism, and memorable characters. I read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle years ago and this is a fitting prequel which explains many things.
    The dogs are the grounding path through it all.
  • Jane Procter
    5.0 out of 5 stars Sumptuous, spellbinding….
    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2024
    I read Edgar Sawtelle quite a while ago and loved it!! So this story “before the story” was one I was really curious about . The story itself is dazzling with so many back and side stories told along with it. But the writing is just sumptuous. The world of nature, of dogs and of humans is painted so richly with so much feeling… I laughed,and chuckled , and sobbed ….it was a great read !
  • Amazon Customer
    4.0 out of 5 stars good story…but long…
    Reviewed in the United States on October 23, 2024
    I loved the first Sawtelle book & was eager to read the prequel…it did not disappoint as far as characters & storyline…although seemed to take a different tract from the first story…there were several places I was reading rapidly to move it along… but the basic plots were there…
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece
    Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2024
    I loved everything in this book from beginning to end. The length of this book did not cause me to hesitate. I had already read The Story of Edgar Sawtelle twice.. This book thoroughly entertained me. I laughed, teared up,and felt my heart hurt. I read on. Nothing could stop me. I listened to the most talented narrator bring this book to life. These characters will stay with me the rest of my life. The letters to Mary touched my heart the most. This most talented writer had a story to tell,and write it he did. Let's hear it for dogs,especially Jugs. This is writing at it's best. This author must have had such a wonderful time writing this book. Thank you David Wroblewski.
  • rhiannon257
    5.0 out of 5 stars Astounding
    Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2024
    I have never cried upon finishing reading a book before. I have cried when favorite authors died. But this book captivated me. It was a hard book to get into but I kept at it and somewhere around page 120 began to become more invested in it. You have to let it take you on its journey and trust that you are in the best of hands.
  • teach 26
    3.0 out of 5 stars Inspirational concepts, perhaps, but a quirky long ready
    Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2024
    Not having read the first book, I was not familiar with the author, his style, the pace of his narrative. I honestly did not finish this book, but skipped chunks to see if I could discover interest enough to read the entire novel. I do keep returning to it and hope to find the stamina to stick with it. The quality of the writer's craft is engaging, as are the inspirational concepts, but this is a little quirky for me.
  • 2LZ
    5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2024
    Familiaris by David Wroblewski is such a heartfelt, wonderful read. I loved every minute of it! What an enjoyable read: the setting, the characters, their friendship, their love for each other, together through thick and thin, highs and lows, and of course, Mary and John. Also, those Sawtelle dogs, so special! John Sawtelle asked the question: “What if you could do one impossible thing?”, and that question changed the trajectory of so many lives for the better. It is a very long book, 980 pages. It could have been edited, but then again I don’t know what I would want cut out. I listened to and read the Kindle book simultaneously through immersion reading on the Kindle app. I highly recommend this type of reading experience. Richard Poe was an incredible narrator; he brought the story and all of the characters to life. What a talented reader! It’s outstanding fiction! Not to be missed!
  • Jbk
    4.0 out of 5 stars loved it
    Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2024
    I loved The Story of Edgar Sawtelle and I loved this book. Yes, it’s a long read. That’s one of the reasons I loved it. Wonderful story of friends and family and dogs.

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