What readers think of Ever By My Side, plus links to write your own review.

What a wonderful memoir. I felt that I was having a conversation with the author and there were parts that were very funny and I could relate to the situation. The author's relationship with his father was very different and powerful. There were parts that were very emotional and I did shed some tears. If you are an animal lover you will love this book. Maybe you will learn something from the people and the animals in the book.

As a life-long dog owner, I was prepared to LOVE this book. After reading the first few chapters, I began to fear this autobiography was going to be just TOO adorable and folksy. Then the story further unfolded, and I began to relate to my own experiences in raising dogs, seeing myself in the characters, laughing at the way dogs have challenged my patience over the years, sniffling through the all too familiar end-of-life decisions. I was touched by the honest portrayal of his relationship with his father, and his mother’s ambivalence about having a dog (or two) in the house. This is a personal story that grows on you. It’s not a WOW, can’t wait to read another chapter kind of book. But you’ll find it touching, engaging and often quite real and funny. A life with dogs, you have to have a sense of humor!

Dr. Trout's memoir will be appreciated most by dog lovers. Parts of the book will make you laugh out loud; other parts will bring you to tears. I enjoyed following Trout's relationship with his father, their bond forged by their mutual love of dogs. His writing style is easy and flowing, full of self-deprecating humor.

This book arrived the day after my darling 12-year-old cat died. Fran and I adored each other and the prospect of reading a book about pets made me a little nervous, but it quickly became apparent that this lovely book is about much more than a veterinarian's experiences with his pets. It’s about relationships between species and between generations, and how sometimes we need to experience something in order to truly appreciate what others have gone through.

A warm memoir of a young man, his parents, his animals, and his children, This is a well-written volume that evokes a gamut of emotions from the reader. I wish that it was longer or a little more descriptive- but I enjoyed it a great deal.

First a disclaimer, I am a veterinarian. Second, I really enjoyed his first book, "Tell Me Where It Hurts". So, I was really looking forward to reading his newest work. Unfortunately, it disappoints to the extent I'll not finish it. Too many other books to spend more time on this one. His complaints about his childhood and parents comes across as whiney and ungrateful. His humor felt flat for me. I hope others enjoy it more.

I loved it! It's a memoir, it's about animals, and it was a delight to read. The book is witty, insightful and heartwarming. It is full of incidents from the Dr.'s life as well as incidents from various animals lives.....some producing tears and many producing laughter. I couldn't put it down!

What a delightful book. Perhaps it is because the author is of my age and many things he talks about are easily understood and remembered. If you love animals you will love this book. It is full of stories about animals and at the same time you learn a great deal about the author's life. It doesn't have quite the scope of the James Herriot books but it definitely fits close to it. It is a book for young and old, for those who perhaps once wanted to be vets or even for those who are vets today. Keep a box of tissues close by because you are going to feel the tears at times but just sit back and enjoy.