Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About: A Memoir by Isabel Klee
Isabel Klee perfectly captures the feeling of being a woman in her 20s in her brand new memoir, Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About.
For twenty-somethings this will be incredibly relatable, and for those of us who made it through that time, it will conjure feelings of nostalgia that leave you both with the longing for simpler times and grateful to be exactly where you are today. The tone of this memoir captured the coming-of-age experience so many women in their 20s have but can’t express quite this eloquently.
Coming of Age in Chaos and Clarity
The reader goes on the journey with Klee as she fearlessly embarks into adulthood, taking us with her for the ride. Whether it was a college that never felt like home, traveling the world, or finally settling into New York City, the reader is sure to see themselves in this story.
There’s nothing quite like the joy of living with roommates in your 20s in a city with few responsibilities and even fewer attachments, but also how quickly the ever-present existential crisis peaks its head out, urging you to move, find a mate, get a new job or maybe just make plans with friends to watch the solar eclipse.
Dogs and the Lessons They Teach Us
Throughout Klee’s story there are dogs. She has a way with rescues, giving them a safe place to be themselves as they work through the various traumas that left them in need of rescuing in the first place. As is life, the act of trying deserves recognition as much as our successes. Sometimes that means celebrating bad behavior just because the dog is learning to be a dog — not everything needs to be perfect. The effort is just as important as a win. Often running parallels to her time and place in adulthood, the dogs seem to always be there when she needs them too.
One thing I learned about myself while reading this memoir is that the death of a dog will always make me cry more than the end of a romantic relationship. I was reminded of my childhood dogs and the pain of losing them, but also the first dog I brought home as an adult and eventually losing him as well. Losing a pet never gets easier, but it’s a love that’s so easy to dive headfirst into. It’s a lot like romantic relationships in that way.
Klee opened up about the loves in her life — both canine and of the human male variety — with vulnerability and honesty. I felt anxiety as she was reluctantly moving in with a guy she knew wasn’t going to be forever and relief as she made the choice to jump with both feet into a relationship with a new foster dog. If there’s one thing a dog can teach us, it’s the difference between unconditional love and the not-quite-right love with a partner.
I rooted so hard for dogs to find forever homes alongside Klee’s forever romance. So much of love is trial and error, whether it’s getting a rescue to leave his crate for the first time or successfully cohabitating with the love of your life. They both teach us patience and understanding, which were beautifully expressed in this book. Isabel Klee has a genuine talent for storytelling, which I hope continues beyond this memoir.
About Isabel Klee:
Isabel Klee is a writer and content creator. She documents her experiences rehabilitating dogs on social media through her writing and storytelling. She lives Brooklyn with her Fiancé, Jacob, her dog, Simon, and a rotating cast of foster dogs.
