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The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER - From the best-selling, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All Over but the Shoutin', the warmhearted and hilarious story of how his life was transformed by his love for a poorly behaved, half-blind stray dog.
Speck is not a good boy. He is a terrible boy, a defiant, self-destructive, often malodorous boy, a grave robber and screen door moocher who spends his days playing chicken with the Fed Ex man, picking fights with thousand-pound livestock, and rolling in donkey manure, and his nights howling at the moon. He has been that way since the moment he appeared on the ridgeline behind Rick Bragg's house, a starved and half-dead creature, seventy-six pounds of wet hair and poor decisions.
Speck arrived in Rick's life at a moment of looming uncertainty. A cancer diagnosis, chemo, kidney failure, and recurring pneumonia had left Rick lethargic and melancholy. Speck helped, and he is helping, still, when he is not peeing on the rose of Sharon. Written with Bragg's inimitable blend of tenderness and sorrow, humor and grit, The Speckled Beauty captures the extraordinary, sustaining devotion between two damaged creatures who need each other to heal.
Speck is not a good boy. He is a terrible boy, a defiant, self-destructive, often malodorous boy, a grave robber and screen door moocher who spends his days playing chicken with the Fed Ex man, picking fights with thousand-pound livestock, and rolling in donkey manure, and his nights howling at the moon. He has been that way since the moment he appeared on the ridgeline behind Rick Bragg's house, a starved and half-dead creature, seventy-six pounds of wet hair and poor decisions.
Speck arrived in Rick's life at a moment of looming uncertainty. A cancer diagnosis, chemo, kidney failure, and recurring pneumonia had left Rick lethargic and melancholy. Speck helped, and he is helping, still, when he is not peeing on the rose of Sharon. Written with Bragg's inimitable blend of tenderness and sorrow, humor and grit, The Speckled Beauty captures the extraordinary, sustaining devotion between two damaged creatures who need each other to heal.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published September 21, 2021
About the author
Rick Bragg
35 books1,245 followersRick Bragg is the Pulitzer Prize winning writer of best-selling and critically acclaimed books on the people of the foothills of the Appalachians, All Over but the Shoutin, Ava's Man, and The Prince of Frogtown.
Bragg, a native of Calhoun County, Alabama, calls these books the proudest examples of his writing life, what historians and critics have described as heart-breaking anthems of people usually written about only in fiction or cliches. They chronicle the lives of his family cotton pickers, mill workers, whiskey makers, long sufferers, and fist fighters. Bragg, who has written for the numerous magazines, ranging from Sports Illustrated to Food & Wine, was a newspaper writer for two decades, covering high school football for the Jacksonville News, and militant Islamic fundamentalism for The New York Times.
He has won more than 50 significant writing awards, in books and journalism, including, twice, the American Society of Newspaper Editors Distinguished Writing Award. He was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1993, and is, truthfully, still a freshman at Jacksonville State University. Bragg is currently Professor of Writing in the Journalism Department at the University of Alabama, and lives in Tuscaloosa with his wife, Dianne, a doctoral student there, and his stepson, Jake. His only real hobby is fishing, but he is the worst fisherman in his family line.
Bragg, a native of Calhoun County, Alabama, calls these books the proudest examples of his writing life, what historians and critics have described as heart-breaking anthems of people usually written about only in fiction or cliches. They chronicle the lives of his family cotton pickers, mill workers, whiskey makers, long sufferers, and fist fighters. Bragg, who has written for the numerous magazines, ranging from Sports Illustrated to Food & Wine, was a newspaper writer for two decades, covering high school football for the Jacksonville News, and militant Islamic fundamentalism for The New York Times.
He has won more than 50 significant writing awards, in books and journalism, including, twice, the American Society of Newspaper Editors Distinguished Writing Award. He was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University in 1993, and is, truthfully, still a freshman at Jacksonville State University. Bragg is currently Professor of Writing in the Journalism Department at the University of Alabama, and lives in Tuscaloosa with his wife, Dianne, a doctoral student there, and his stepson, Jake. His only real hobby is fishing, but he is the worst fisherman in his family line.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 837 reviews
August 26, 2021
Sometimes it takes a dog. Not any particular kind of dog, but a dog that we find, or one that finds us, when one is desperately needed. For Rick Bragg, this was a wild dog, a not well behaved dog, half starved, with injuries and wounds from his rough life. A dog who causes havoc, will not mind, who wants a soft place to land, but not to be owned. A dog who follows his eighty year old mom around the kitchen, waiting for food, a biscuit, a woman who will give this unruly dog the name, Speckled Beauty.
Shortened to Speck.
Bragg returns to live with his mother on her small farm, in remission from his cancer and other health issues. This dog will enter his life, providing both a distraction and a meaning to his days. Bragg is a national treasure. His writing, personal, combining so much humor with the sadness that is life at times. His writing always gives me with all the feels, and this book often made me laugh at loud. This dog...........
For everyone who has had a pet that made a difference in their lives, this book is for you. I found it simply wonderful.
ARC from Edelweiss.
Shortened to Speck.
Bragg returns to live with his mother on her small farm, in remission from his cancer and other health issues. This dog will enter his life, providing both a distraction and a meaning to his days. Bragg is a national treasure. His writing, personal, combining so much humor with the sadness that is life at times. His writing always gives me with all the feels, and this book often made me laugh at loud. This dog...........
For everyone who has had a pet that made a difference in their lives, this book is for you. I found it simply wonderful.
ARC from Edelweiss.
January 29, 2025
This book cries out to be read by everyone who’s had a rescue dog that wasn’t the sweet, obedient dog they pictured. Rick Bragg and his family have always had an assortment of “rescued” dogs. Not the kind adopted from the pound, but the ones who found their way to their backdoor or found along the roadside. When Rick discovers Speck, it’s questionable whether he’ll make it. But with lots of good food and a safe place to sleep, he not only recovers but thrives. But that doesn’t mean he settles down. Oh no. He continues to be a wild, disobedient monster, going after everything and one in his path. This is a dog that just can’t be trained, given all his prior years of running wild.
Rick has returned home, in remission from cancer, but still dealing with the after effects. He needed something, but probably not a dog so incorrigible. It’s a testament to the love we show our pets, even those that aren’t perfect or even close to it. It’s heartwarming, sometimes sad, but also funny as hell. I found myself nodding in understanding, having had my share of adopted four legged children. Bragg also waxes lyrical about mental health, aging, nature and the seasons. I’d have been happy to listen to anything he had to say.
This is the first time I’ve read anything by Rick Bragg other than his column in Garden and Gun Magazine. His writing is spot on perfect. And listening to him narrate his own book added a whole other layer of pleasure.
Rick has returned home, in remission from cancer, but still dealing with the after effects. He needed something, but probably not a dog so incorrigible. It’s a testament to the love we show our pets, even those that aren’t perfect or even close to it. It’s heartwarming, sometimes sad, but also funny as hell. I found myself nodding in understanding, having had my share of adopted four legged children. Bragg also waxes lyrical about mental health, aging, nature and the seasons. I’d have been happy to listen to anything he had to say.
This is the first time I’ve read anything by Rick Bragg other than his column in Garden and Gun Magazine. His writing is spot on perfect. And listening to him narrate his own book added a whole other layer of pleasure.
October 24, 2021
As a resident of Birmingham, Alabama for nearly six decades now and a dog lover... I'll admit I might just be prejudiced. The Speckled Beauty is a GREAT read.
It's a love story as only Rick Bragg can write.
It's a love story as only Rick Bragg can write.
July 28, 2021
’Who wants a perfect dog?'
-- Willie Morris
As this fourth of Bragg’s memoirs of his family begins, Bragg is back in the county where his mother lives, after several health issues have plagued him - non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, pneumonia, heart and kidney failure - he finds himself living in his mother’s basement at the age of sixty. Driving down her quarter mile long, winding driveway which is a tunnel of green, the pines, pasture, and then the deer, hummingbirds and wild turkey create a dreamlike scene that could almost lull you into believing the world was always so peaceful. And then, the moment is broken when he, a half-blind, 76-pound illegitimate Australian shepherd dog of unknown origin with mismatched eyes who is prone to falling asleep in his dog bowl, rushes in to shatter the idyllic moment.
The Speckled Beauty is about this untrained and unruly abandoned dog, who enters his life unexpectedly, and seems to greet Bragg anew every day, as though he can’t believe his good luck in finding him again. A human that is kind and willing to feed and care for him. In return, Speck will come to offer him not only sweetly comedic moments - his unbridled joy chasing creatures on his mother’s land, to the irrepressible joy of inhaling Bragg’s mother’s biscuits that she tosses his way - and unconditional love, as well. The rescuer is rescued in return by the unquestioning love he receives, in spite of his initial reservations.
There’s more to this story, of course, COVID is a background theme, how it has impacted this part of the country, along with health concerns for both Speck and his other family members. This is a memoir set in a time of upheaval and isolation, but it is also a story of love, a love of home and family, a love for this dog who, despite the hardships he’s endured prior to entering their lives, loves with abandon. The lessons Speck teaches them all, and the unbridled joy he shares will become a part of them, as well.
Pub Date: 21 Sep 2021
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Random House / Knopf
November 30, 2021
It's Rick Bragg, writing about his dog Speck, his brother Sam, and his mother. That's really all I need to say. As an added bonus, the dog doesn't die in the end.
March 21, 2024
Grab a cold one, pull up a seat, and settle in to have a good visit with Rick Bragg. He's here to tell you about his "terrible dog" Speck. Anyone who has ever had a beloved pet will relate to his tale.
Bragg, in remission from Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, while also suffering with heart and kidney failure, chronic pneumonia, diabetes and depression, returns home to live in his mother's basement. Out on the ridge he watches a long-haired stray over a period of time. At some point he approaches the starving, one-eyed, badly injured dog and brings him home.
Speck's grand adventures include trying to herd a mule and a pair of donkeys, dogfights, catfights, attempting to pick up a cottonmouth, and trying to herd a truck. Despite the injuries he incurs, Speck lives with verve and confidence and joy and hauls Bragg right along with him.
Interwoven with Speck's exploits are tales of Bragg, his mother, and his older brother Sam. I appreciate a few updates since Bragg's earlier memoir All Over But the Shoutin '.
Vividly told, these anecdotes are suffused with wit and humor. Pick up your copy of The Speckled Beauty to enjoy Bragg's tale of love and loyalty and finding one's way.
Publication 2021
Bragg, in remission from Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, while also suffering with heart and kidney failure, chronic pneumonia, diabetes and depression, returns home to live in his mother's basement. Out on the ridge he watches a long-haired stray over a period of time. At some point he approaches the starving, one-eyed, badly injured dog and brings him home.
Speck's grand adventures include trying to herd a mule and a pair of donkeys, dogfights, catfights, attempting to pick up a cottonmouth, and trying to herd a truck. Despite the injuries he incurs, Speck lives with verve and confidence and joy and hauls Bragg right along with him.
Interwoven with Speck's exploits are tales of Bragg, his mother, and his older brother Sam. I appreciate a few updates since Bragg's earlier memoir All Over But the Shoutin '.
Vividly told, these anecdotes are suffused with wit and humor. Pick up your copy of The Speckled Beauty to enjoy Bragg's tale of love and loyalty and finding one's way.
Publication 2021
November 22, 2021
Speck is a terror--a half-blind stray dog that won't behave. But the starving dog arrived at the Bragg's Alabama farm just when he was needed. Rick was in remission from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma after going through the hell of chemo, and isolating with his mother during the pandemic. Speck helped fill up the hours that would have been spent feeling depressed. Speck is part Australian shepherd who feels that he's needed to herd the kittens and the donkeys. The dog offered love, and laughter at his crazy antics. Speck and Rick needed each other's company to heal.
Rick Bragg shows shows a great love for his family, his adopted dog, and his Southern roots. He also writes about his close relationship with his older brother, Sam, who recently died. "The Speckled Beauty" is a warm story full of humor told by a man with a big heart.
Rick Bragg shows shows a great love for his family, his adopted dog, and his Southern roots. He also writes about his close relationship with his older brother, Sam, who recently died. "The Speckled Beauty" is a warm story full of humor told by a man with a big heart.
December 30, 2021
Rick Bragg is an author I've been meaning to read for years. And, though his books have been recommended to me more times than I can count, I'm almost ashamed to admit that it took one with a picture of a dog on the cover for me to actually sit down and crack one open.
Keeping with the family tradition of rescuing stray dogs, Bragg sort of adopts a gorgeous, and unusual pooch that's been hanging around with a pack of wild dogs.
The author and his new best friend.
. . . the long-haired dog had a story, a mystery. He would leave the other dogs and disappear completely, then rejoin what was left of them weeks later. Sam believes he was going back, over and over, to a place in his memory, an abandoned house or farm, and waiting there for someone to reappear. Or it might be he was going back to the place he was left, waiting for his owner to reappear.
Yes, Speck is a throwaway dog, one of many abandoned pets dumped somewhere out in the country, and expected to survive on their own.
It was a perfect crime; the owner just drove off, taking all the dog had ever known.
Though Speck has a boisterous personality, he is not a "good boy," and is soon wreaking havoc among the other pets and farm animals who call the Bragg place home. Bragg's attempts to "tame" this wild beast are hilarious, though there is much more to this story than just the dog parts.
Highly recommended to anyone who has ever loved a less-than-perfect dog.
This was my favorite book of the year, and the best damned dog book I've ever read.
Keeping with the family tradition of rescuing stray dogs, Bragg sort of adopts a gorgeous, and unusual pooch that's been hanging around with a pack of wild dogs.
The author and his new best friend.
. . . the long-haired dog had a story, a mystery. He would leave the other dogs and disappear completely, then rejoin what was left of them weeks later. Sam believes he was going back, over and over, to a place in his memory, an abandoned house or farm, and waiting there for someone to reappear. Or it might be he was going back to the place he was left, waiting for his owner to reappear.
Yes, Speck is a throwaway dog, one of many abandoned pets dumped somewhere out in the country, and expected to survive on their own.
It was a perfect crime; the owner just drove off, taking all the dog had ever known.
Though Speck has a boisterous personality, he is not a "good boy," and is soon wreaking havoc among the other pets and farm animals who call the Bragg place home. Bragg's attempts to "tame" this wild beast are hilarious, though there is much more to this story than just the dog parts.
Highly recommended to anyone who has ever loved a less-than-perfect dog.
This was my favorite book of the year, and the best damned dog book I've ever read.
December 21, 2021
4.5 stars.
A battered dog named Speck has owned my heart these past few weeks, but a resilient human named Rick Bragg has owned it for years, ever since the late ‘90’s when he wrote a book called All Over But The Shoutin’. This Pulitzer Prize winning author from Piedmont, Alabama will take you on a rich journey of the Southern soul no matter which of his books you choose. ‘A Speckled Beauty’ is particularly poignant for those of us who have followed Bragg’s memoirs through the years because he and his very special “people” now face life-altering issues, much like the rest of us. We’re all navigating our way through isolation, aging and illness with as much hope and dignity as possible, but few of us frame it quite the way Rick Bragg does: “The dog sat beside him, like he had figured out which one of us needed him more . . . You can say it was just a dog being a dog. Maybe that was all it had to be.” We all need such an undemanding, empathetic presence by our side.
You don’t have to be a dog person to appreciate this book. At its core, it’s all about life, loyalty, and unconditional love, written with a Southern heart. Speck is just along for the ride, completely clueless about his literary infamy. He’s simply waiting for the next scratch made biscuit to be tossed his way. But the healing chemistry between this battered dog and his battered rescuer is something incredibly special. Recommend this book and this author to everyone.
A battered dog named Speck has owned my heart these past few weeks, but a resilient human named Rick Bragg has owned it for years, ever since the late ‘90’s when he wrote a book called All Over But The Shoutin’. This Pulitzer Prize winning author from Piedmont, Alabama will take you on a rich journey of the Southern soul no matter which of his books you choose. ‘A Speckled Beauty’ is particularly poignant for those of us who have followed Bragg’s memoirs through the years because he and his very special “people” now face life-altering issues, much like the rest of us. We’re all navigating our way through isolation, aging and illness with as much hope and dignity as possible, but few of us frame it quite the way Rick Bragg does: “The dog sat beside him, like he had figured out which one of us needed him more . . . You can say it was just a dog being a dog. Maybe that was all it had to be.” We all need such an undemanding, empathetic presence by our side.
You don’t have to be a dog person to appreciate this book. At its core, it’s all about life, loyalty, and unconditional love, written with a Southern heart. Speck is just along for the ride, completely clueless about his literary infamy. He’s simply waiting for the next scratch made biscuit to be tossed his way. But the healing chemistry between this battered dog and his battered rescuer is something incredibly special. Recommend this book and this author to everyone.
December 3, 2021
The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People is Rick Bragg’s tribute to his smelly, rambunctious, troublesome, loveable dog. A discarded stray that Bragg takes in and allows to rule his life, Speck is a herding dog without a flock, and the scrapes he gets into and out of leave you shaking your head and happy that this is a dog you are reading about and not one you are living with. But, Speck, like all dogs, has his warm side, and the loveable adjective is the one that truly sticks.
I had heard all my life that a dog is a healing thing: they lope down the halls in hospitals and nursing homes, making people smile, though I have often wondered if there were antibiotics yet for the germs my dog could spread. But for three months or so, when about all I could do was sit on the steps, he kept me company, and kept me entertained. I don’t want to make more of it than it was, but he sat with me for hours, till a cat passed by.
Of course, as in most memoirs that involve animals, we learn as much, if not more, about the people. In this case, particularly well-drawn is Rick’s older brother, Sam. Sam is a man worth knowing, more a man of action than words, and there is a lot of brotherly love mixed in with Rick Bragg’s telling descriptions. While most of the book made me laugh, there was a section regarding Sam that made me cry.
The setting is an Alabama farm, belonging to Bragg’s mother, and there is a motley crew of other animals to amuse us, including cats, donkeys, and a mule.
They have determined there can be no genuine Southern literature unless it has at least one mule in it, preferably a dead one. Faulkner said a mule would wait patiently a lifetime for an opportunity to kick you once, which tells me Faulkner did not know shit about mules. Mules will kick you hard and often and when it is convenient; if they only kicked once it was because they killed you the first time.
If the purpose of a memoir is to make you feel you know the people it chronicles better, Rick Bragg has succeeded in spades with this one. I might have been sitting on that porch, with the smell of dirty wet dog in my nostrils, listening to Bragg’s mother making biscuits in the kitchen and waiting for the sound of Sam’s tractor to announce it was time to stop work and get a bite to eat.
I had heard all my life that a dog is a healing thing: they lope down the halls in hospitals and nursing homes, making people smile, though I have often wondered if there were antibiotics yet for the germs my dog could spread. But for three months or so, when about all I could do was sit on the steps, he kept me company, and kept me entertained. I don’t want to make more of it than it was, but he sat with me for hours, till a cat passed by.
Of course, as in most memoirs that involve animals, we learn as much, if not more, about the people. In this case, particularly well-drawn is Rick’s older brother, Sam. Sam is a man worth knowing, more a man of action than words, and there is a lot of brotherly love mixed in with Rick Bragg’s telling descriptions. While most of the book made me laugh, there was a section regarding Sam that made me cry.
The setting is an Alabama farm, belonging to Bragg’s mother, and there is a motley crew of other animals to amuse us, including cats, donkeys, and a mule.
They have determined there can be no genuine Southern literature unless it has at least one mule in it, preferably a dead one. Faulkner said a mule would wait patiently a lifetime for an opportunity to kick you once, which tells me Faulkner did not know shit about mules. Mules will kick you hard and often and when it is convenient; if they only kicked once it was because they killed you the first time.
If the purpose of a memoir is to make you feel you know the people it chronicles better, Rick Bragg has succeeded in spades with this one. I might have been sitting on that porch, with the smell of dirty wet dog in my nostrils, listening to Bragg’s mother making biscuits in the kitchen and waiting for the sound of Sam’s tractor to announce it was time to stop work and get a bite to eat.
December 31, 2021
Dogs are companion animals and as such they are marked by a willingness to please their people. This makes it especially painful to hear and read about dogs that are abandoned. In this book that story is somewhat reversed. Here the author and his family adopt abandoned dogs and provide them a home. The author notices a dog on his property that appears hungry and wounded. He takes in the dog, treats its wounds, feeds him and takes him to a Vet. This starts a story of a man who is eager to please his dog.
I have read some of Bragg’s books previously and he is not an author I would seek out, but this book was a Christmas present from my daughter. The story touched me. I read on in fear that there was an unhappy ending — think Old Yeller. That is not the case here.
In the synopsis for this book it is mentioned that Bragg was in the midst of some medical problems. The problems are mentioned but not dealt with in any great detail, which I applaud. He spends more time discussing his brother Sam’s health, and his mother’s frailty.
The story illustrates the therapeutic value of dogs. Here Speck, the dog Bragg has adopted, sits and listens to the mother as she tells stories from her past. Speck is a wild and quite rambunctious boy, but when sensing the need will sit and provide comfort. When Sam, who is suffering medical issues, comes to visit Speck will sit by his side and allows Sam to pet him.
This was a wonderful story of a dog and a man that loved him. The antics of the dog will make you smile. The care Bragg gives to the dog will warm your heart. The book belongs in any library that collects books about dogs.
I have read some of Bragg’s books previously and he is not an author I would seek out, but this book was a Christmas present from my daughter. The story touched me. I read on in fear that there was an unhappy ending — think Old Yeller. That is not the case here.
In the synopsis for this book it is mentioned that Bragg was in the midst of some medical problems. The problems are mentioned but not dealt with in any great detail, which I applaud. He spends more time discussing his brother Sam’s health, and his mother’s frailty.
The story illustrates the therapeutic value of dogs. Here Speck, the dog Bragg has adopted, sits and listens to the mother as she tells stories from her past. Speck is a wild and quite rambunctious boy, but when sensing the need will sit and provide comfort. When Sam, who is suffering medical issues, comes to visit Speck will sit by his side and allows Sam to pet him.
This was a wonderful story of a dog and a man that loved him. The antics of the dog will make you smile. The care Bragg gives to the dog will warm your heart. The book belongs in any library that collects books about dogs.
November 10, 2021
Don't hate me, dog lovers of the world. I'm not a dog person. I know all the positives they offer...unconditional love, companionship, therapy, protection (I'm sure there's more). I see how many people have dogs--in the dog parks, on the trails, camping, fishing, in motel rooms, in the yards I drive past. I know they fill a void for so many, maybe even the majority of people in this world. I hold them in high esteem because of this. I just don't want to be next to one. Call it a stimulation thing. But dogs in books? Well, that allows me to love what's lovable about a dog without being in the same room with them. Perfect!
But wait...this dog, "the sorriest dog in the whole world" according to his person, might not be the dog I was looking for. Or maybe he was.
From the audio voice (countrified and perfectly pitched) to the dog antics to the observations and ruminations, this book amused me, taught me, touched me, and held me spellbound as this wayward mutt was taken in by a salt of the earth family. It was a rough fit, as this "terrible dog" continued to be who he was despite all attempts to smooth his rough edges. I recognized many behaviors I'd seen in the dog we had--my son's dog...I kept my distance--and they made me laugh out loud a number of times. Dogs will be dogs, after all. But as the humans dealt with the good, bad and ugly of life, the "terrible dog" remained and dug his way into their hearts.
"He was still a terrible dog, but his sense of sadness and struggle was so sharp I sometimes just watched him amazed, and I had to share him with the people who needed him most."
And like humans, once others recognize who we are and what we need and can provide it, all of a sudden we fit together like puzzle pieces.
A charming and fun listen.
But wait...this dog, "the sorriest dog in the whole world" according to his person, might not be the dog I was looking for. Or maybe he was.
From the audio voice (countrified and perfectly pitched) to the dog antics to the observations and ruminations, this book amused me, taught me, touched me, and held me spellbound as this wayward mutt was taken in by a salt of the earth family. It was a rough fit, as this "terrible dog" continued to be who he was despite all attempts to smooth his rough edges. I recognized many behaviors I'd seen in the dog we had--my son's dog...I kept my distance--and they made me laugh out loud a number of times. Dogs will be dogs, after all. But as the humans dealt with the good, bad and ugly of life, the "terrible dog" remained and dug his way into their hearts.
"He was still a terrible dog, but his sense of sadness and struggle was so sharp I sometimes just watched him amazed, and I had to share him with the people who needed him most."
And like humans, once others recognize who we are and what we need and can provide it, all of a sudden we fit together like puzzle pieces.
A charming and fun listen.
December 31, 2021
Rick Bragg really knows how to tell stories about his family and this latest memoir focuses on the newest member that claimed him just a few years ago, his dog Speck. Speck was a discarded and unwanted stray before finding his place on the Bragg homestead in Alabama where Rick lives with his mother. No stranger to taking in damaged animals, Bragg tells such heartwarming and funny stories about this unruly, terrible, misguided dog that lives life with such abandon and absolutely no fear. Speck came to him at a time when he didn't even know he needed a companion. The two were meant for each other! This was the perfect read to end the year!
December 6, 2021
What makes me happy? Listening to Rick Bragg read his books how they are meant to be heard.
January 26, 2022
I enjoy Rick Bragg’s writing and this book was no exception. A humorous look at a difficult but lovable stray dog. Inspiring me to seriously consider getting a dog of my own this year!
October 3, 2021
"The Speckled Beauty" is Rick Bragg's affectionate ode to his dog. "Speck," as he is called for short, is one hot mess of a dog. He is fiercely wild, being used to living free. At times, Speck lives with other dogs for company and at other times, he lives on his own. Still, Speck is attracted to Bragg's home, mainly due to the food he sees. After all, Speck sees an old woman (Bragg's mother) who religiously throws biscuits into the air twice a day for the other stray dogs who have found a home in her pasture. Momma disdains commercial dog food and cooks real dishes for the family's dogs.
Bragg takes Speck in, saving his life more than once. The dog is forever getting hurt by entering into fights with other animals (dogs, cats, snakes, mules - all are fair game).
As is the way with rescues, it is hard to say who rescues whom. At the time that Speck entered Bragg's life, the author had been battling non-hodgkins lymphoma and is at a low point. And Speck would have surely died had it not been for Bragg stepping in.
Anyone who has loved a dog can understand the bond between them.
The author wrote: I guess the truth is that he does not truly ask for much in return. He just wants some people of his own, and some snacks, because a dog gets used to things like that... He wants a place to lie, a place outside where he can hear and smell the mountain as he closes his eyes, and wants a booger to battle deep in the black trees. And he wants someone to let him in, when the thunder shakes the mountain, when the lightning flash reveals that he was just a dog all this time, just a dog after all.
Bragg takes Speck in, saving his life more than once. The dog is forever getting hurt by entering into fights with other animals (dogs, cats, snakes, mules - all are fair game).
As is the way with rescues, it is hard to say who rescues whom. At the time that Speck entered Bragg's life, the author had been battling non-hodgkins lymphoma and is at a low point. And Speck would have surely died had it not been for Bragg stepping in.
Anyone who has loved a dog can understand the bond between them.
The author wrote: I guess the truth is that he does not truly ask for much in return. He just wants some people of his own, and some snacks, because a dog gets used to things like that... He wants a place to lie, a place outside where he can hear and smell the mountain as he closes his eyes, and wants a booger to battle deep in the black trees. And he wants someone to let him in, when the thunder shakes the mountain, when the lightning flash reveals that he was just a dog all this time, just a dog after all.
November 29, 2023
First, I wanted to write this review on Monday but I pulled out my right shoulder down to my fingers. I'm right handed so I'm having a hard time typing this out. So here we go!!
I absolutely adored this book and it had me laughing out loud through so many parts that I actually had tears running down my face 🤣!! I couldn't believe that this is a true story of Rick Bragg saving the life of a " throw away dog"! He and his Mom, two brothers and sister-in-laws live on a 40 acre farm in Alabama. Turns out that they rescued many dogs and cats over the years, but none were like Speck!! Now, as in life, there's some sad parts, but told with a mixture of laughter, sadness and tenderness that it makes everything balance out! They also have farm animals, which made this the perfect book for me because I love dogs, actually all animals and birds and work on a farm! Rick is battling Cancer and Speck helps him through his rough times as well as his good times.
Speck is not a good dog,he has many adventures and gets into trouble a lot. The first few weeks, he was in " jail" 29 times. This dog belonged to someone who threw him away 😢. He's a beautiful Australian Shepherd sadly lived on the streets and ate whatever he could to stay alive. He's blind in one eye, his ears don't hang right from all the battles he's been through. He has many other health conditions and the vet keeps " gluing him together." However, Speck is so devoted to Rick and his family, that they put up with whatever he does, although they do train him.
I wanted to share part of a poem in this book called Pandemonium that hsd me laughing out loud and crying because I was laughing so hard 🤣.
Pandemonium
" I woke up to shrieking.
Dogs, mules, cats, all.
A donkey screamed.
An old woman cursed.
A smart dog snarled in rage.
A small dog yelped in terror.
A bad dog howled in joy.
A mule kicked a metal gate, again and again.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
I threw off the covers, and ran.
A cat clung to the screen door, five feet up,
hissing.
I swung it, cat and all,wide open.
And I saw bedlam.
Havoc.
Pandemonium.
I rushed out, barefoot into the end of times.
And it had all been going so well.
.....
If Bigfoot had skipped across the yard in a porkpie hat, it would have been less surprising to me than my sweet, elderly mother dog- cussing a... well, a dog, and I wondered if might still be asleep, dreaming."
Who is behind all this craziness? Speck!!!
This is just a sample of the comedy in this true story! It's a delightful book that I couldn't put down! It was just so great and cleverly written. I loved it and highly recommend it! I'll let you know this, Speck lives!!!🐾🐾💙 Their journey still continues even today!! This is Speck on the cover.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨🐾🐾💙
I absolutely adored this book and it had me laughing out loud through so many parts that I actually had tears running down my face 🤣!! I couldn't believe that this is a true story of Rick Bragg saving the life of a " throw away dog"! He and his Mom, two brothers and sister-in-laws live on a 40 acre farm in Alabama. Turns out that they rescued many dogs and cats over the years, but none were like Speck!! Now, as in life, there's some sad parts, but told with a mixture of laughter, sadness and tenderness that it makes everything balance out! They also have farm animals, which made this the perfect book for me because I love dogs, actually all animals and birds and work on a farm! Rick is battling Cancer and Speck helps him through his rough times as well as his good times.
Speck is not a good dog,he has many adventures and gets into trouble a lot. The first few weeks, he was in " jail" 29 times. This dog belonged to someone who threw him away 😢. He's a beautiful Australian Shepherd sadly lived on the streets and ate whatever he could to stay alive. He's blind in one eye, his ears don't hang right from all the battles he's been through. He has many other health conditions and the vet keeps " gluing him together." However, Speck is so devoted to Rick and his family, that they put up with whatever he does, although they do train him.
I wanted to share part of a poem in this book called Pandemonium that hsd me laughing out loud and crying because I was laughing so hard 🤣.
Pandemonium
" I woke up to shrieking.
Dogs, mules, cats, all.
A donkey screamed.
An old woman cursed.
A smart dog snarled in rage.
A small dog yelped in terror.
A bad dog howled in joy.
A mule kicked a metal gate, again and again.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
I threw off the covers, and ran.
A cat clung to the screen door, five feet up,
hissing.
I swung it, cat and all,wide open.
And I saw bedlam.
Havoc.
Pandemonium.
I rushed out, barefoot into the end of times.
And it had all been going so well.
.....
If Bigfoot had skipped across the yard in a porkpie hat, it would have been less surprising to me than my sweet, elderly mother dog- cussing a... well, a dog, and I wondered if might still be asleep, dreaming."
Who is behind all this craziness? Speck!!!
This is just a sample of the comedy in this true story! It's a delightful book that I couldn't put down! It was just so great and cleverly written. I loved it and highly recommend it! I'll let you know this, Speck lives!!!🐾🐾💙 Their journey still continues even today!! This is Speck on the cover.
Enjoy and Happy Reading 💫✨🐾🐾💙
October 25, 2022
This book is on Wesley Banks ‘100 best dog books of all time’ and rated highly by most people. It is about a train wreck of a dog, which is a turn off for some people. I see one of my GR friends said in her one-star review of the book, “Alot is expected from a dog that was never given true guidance to being a good dog.” I think that is the charm in the book though, in spite of horrific behavior of the dog, the good qualities of the dog still shine bright. That, and of course the amazing writing of the author. I don’t have the vocabulary to describe how his writing style is so good. It is one of those books that has so much interesting detail in every paragraph, you want to read the book over again, rather than just pluck out the few favorite sections that seem to stand out. I however did pluck a few out to add to my list of favorites and to give those reading this review a flavor of his writing style and character of the dog.
Before I get to sharing some quotes, I want to mention a few thoughts.
I thought the book was going to be a big book from the picture of the book. It is actually only 1.0" x 5.3" x 8.0", and weighs 1.17 lbs. So a quick and fun read.
What really struck me is how much of the book is actually writing about the dog. Most books spend a lot more time talking about the people and the dog is mentioned at times. This book felt like he was talking about the dog 2/3 of the time. The rest of the book is dealing with challenges Rick Bragg or his family has to face. The dog is the major challenge of the book.
The dog is a stray, and that is the reason he gives it so much freedom. Most of us that care about our dogs would not let them be out in the dangerous world in that way, but it works here. I of course would never recommend it even if in this story has it work out for one dog.
The dog is a train wreck of a dog, but surprisingly no Kleenex is needed at the end of the book. Love it when a dog lives forever in a great book.
I am going to put it in my category of favorite dog books because of how much of it is actually devoted to writing about the dog and because of how interesting I find his writing skills and details of the dog. I will let some of the quotes below speak for themselves.
When Geraldine was still just a little girl, she come to our house with Louvadie… and Daddy saw all them freckles, just hundreds and hundreds of ‘em, and he named her right then and there. He said, ‘Why, she’s a speckled beauty.’ I guess he wanted to make her feel better, you know, about her being homely. And that’s what we’ll call you. But not ‘cause you’re ugly, but ‘cause of all your freckles. We’ll call you Speckled Beauty.
The dog wagged his tail, happy, it seemed, to find it still worked properly. He was not frightened, or glum. He had tortured a stupid cat, twice, and torn up not one fence, but two; it might have been one of the greatest days of his life, and the week hadn’t even gotten started good.
I am beginning to think that the word “no,” in his mind, registers as, Well, go ahead and do whatever you want to do. He backed straight away, pulling, and the collar slipped over his head. I tried to grab him by the scruff of the neck, but he evaded me and leapt back onto the bed, and burrowed under the blanket till he was just a big, growling lump. He is an outside dog, he rolls in mule manure. It wasn’t that I would have to change the bed. I might have to burn it.
“Does he bite?” the driver asked.
“He even bites me,” I said.
He picked a fight with whatever the world brought him, and that day it happened to be a Lincoln. I don’t think he would have hurt the driver, but he sure would have messed up a nice suit.
The next week he did it again, and the next.
He is just something that happened to us, in a time of loss and sadness and sickness and uncertainty, when, as the boy Little Arliss said in Old Yeller, we needed us a dog.
He is a terrible burden, or at least that is something I have come to say. I guess the truth is that he does not truly ask for much in return. He just wants some people of his own, and some snacks, because a dog gets used to things like that. He wants a big, tangled place to run and hunt, and if it happens to be overrun with jackasses he will do his best to keep them in check, though you know how they can be. He wants a place to lie, a place outside where he can hear and smell the mountain as he closes his eyes, and wants a booger to battle deep in the black trees. And he wants someone to come let him in, when the thunder shakes the mountain, when the lightning flash reveals that he was just a dog all this time, just a dog after all.
“Goodnight, buddy,” I always say, then, always, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
I say it like I have some control over it all. Most nights, before I close my eyes, I hear a ruckus out there in the leaves, hear that urgent bark, and I stumble out the door, to rescue some innocent possum, or treed cat, or just to poke my head out the door so he will see me and know that I have registered his diligence, that I have entered it into whatever ledger it is he thinks I keep; he just knows there is one.
Did you see me?
And he knows he will never be invisible, again.
Before I get to sharing some quotes, I want to mention a few thoughts.
I thought the book was going to be a big book from the picture of the book. It is actually only 1.0" x 5.3" x 8.0", and weighs 1.17 lbs. So a quick and fun read.
What really struck me is how much of the book is actually writing about the dog. Most books spend a lot more time talking about the people and the dog is mentioned at times. This book felt like he was talking about the dog 2/3 of the time. The rest of the book is dealing with challenges Rick Bragg or his family has to face. The dog is the major challenge of the book.
The dog is a stray, and that is the reason he gives it so much freedom. Most of us that care about our dogs would not let them be out in the dangerous world in that way, but it works here. I of course would never recommend it even if in this story has it work out for one dog.
The dog is a train wreck of a dog, but surprisingly no Kleenex is needed at the end of the book. Love it when a dog lives forever in a great book.
I am going to put it in my category of favorite dog books because of how much of it is actually devoted to writing about the dog and because of how interesting I find his writing skills and details of the dog. I will let some of the quotes below speak for themselves.
When Geraldine was still just a little girl, she come to our house with Louvadie… and Daddy saw all them freckles, just hundreds and hundreds of ‘em, and he named her right then and there. He said, ‘Why, she’s a speckled beauty.’ I guess he wanted to make her feel better, you know, about her being homely. And that’s what we’ll call you. But not ‘cause you’re ugly, but ‘cause of all your freckles. We’ll call you Speckled Beauty.
The dog wagged his tail, happy, it seemed, to find it still worked properly. He was not frightened, or glum. He had tortured a stupid cat, twice, and torn up not one fence, but two; it might have been one of the greatest days of his life, and the week hadn’t even gotten started good.
I am beginning to think that the word “no,” in his mind, registers as, Well, go ahead and do whatever you want to do. He backed straight away, pulling, and the collar slipped over his head. I tried to grab him by the scruff of the neck, but he evaded me and leapt back onto the bed, and burrowed under the blanket till he was just a big, growling lump. He is an outside dog, he rolls in mule manure. It wasn’t that I would have to change the bed. I might have to burn it.
“Does he bite?” the driver asked.
“He even bites me,” I said.
He picked a fight with whatever the world brought him, and that day it happened to be a Lincoln. I don’t think he would have hurt the driver, but he sure would have messed up a nice suit.
The next week he did it again, and the next.
He is just something that happened to us, in a time of loss and sadness and sickness and uncertainty, when, as the boy Little Arliss said in Old Yeller, we needed us a dog.
He is a terrible burden, or at least that is something I have come to say. I guess the truth is that he does not truly ask for much in return. He just wants some people of his own, and some snacks, because a dog gets used to things like that. He wants a big, tangled place to run and hunt, and if it happens to be overrun with jackasses he will do his best to keep them in check, though you know how they can be. He wants a place to lie, a place outside where he can hear and smell the mountain as he closes his eyes, and wants a booger to battle deep in the black trees. And he wants someone to come let him in, when the thunder shakes the mountain, when the lightning flash reveals that he was just a dog all this time, just a dog after all.
“Goodnight, buddy,” I always say, then, always, “I’ll see you in the morning.”
I say it like I have some control over it all. Most nights, before I close my eyes, I hear a ruckus out there in the leaves, hear that urgent bark, and I stumble out the door, to rescue some innocent possum, or treed cat, or just to poke my head out the door so he will see me and know that I have registered his diligence, that I have entered it into whatever ledger it is he thinks I keep; he just knows there is one.
Did you see me?
And he knows he will never be invisible, again.
August 30, 2021
I am a big Rick Bragg fan, and this book is a perfect example of why. He takes a book about a dog and uses it as a framework to write about family, growing older, and life in the South.
The dog, Speck, is a trouble maker and a nuisance to just about every creature he comes in contact with. But, even as Bragg writes about all the ways Speck has almost gotten him killed or been a bother to him, his affection for his four-legged friend is easy to see.
Forgive me for saying so, but I’m not really an animal person, so I wasn’t sure if I would like this as much as some of Bragg’s previous works. But as he wrote about his family, and particularly his brother Sam, his simple yet beautiful prose won me over yet again. The misadventures with the dog will bring laughter, but what those tales bring out in the humans around him will warm your heart.
If you’re already a dog lover, you will find much to love about this book. But even if you’re not, you might be surprised how much humanity can be found in a book about a dog.
Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own. The Speckled Beauty releases on September 21, 2021.
The dog, Speck, is a trouble maker and a nuisance to just about every creature he comes in contact with. But, even as Bragg writes about all the ways Speck has almost gotten him killed or been a bother to him, his affection for his four-legged friend is easy to see.
Forgive me for saying so, but I’m not really an animal person, so I wasn’t sure if I would like this as much as some of Bragg’s previous works. But as he wrote about his family, and particularly his brother Sam, his simple yet beautiful prose won me over yet again. The misadventures with the dog will bring laughter, but what those tales bring out in the humans around him will warm your heart.
If you’re already a dog lover, you will find much to love about this book. But even if you’re not, you might be surprised how much humanity can be found in a book about a dog.
Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing for the advanced review copy. All opinions are my own. The Speckled Beauty releases on September 21, 2021.
April 11, 2022
There is no other way to describe this book other than simply "wonderful". The story is about an old stray that adopted the Bragg family. To quote the author, and it pretty much sums it up, especially in the two years the world had recently been through..."In a time when the days seem twice as long and the whole world drags, could it hurt to go out and find every awful, hopeless dog on every dirty street and desolate country road, and give them a home?” Hey...why not?
November 9, 2021
Beautiful story!! A story most all of us can relate to. Rick Bragg narrates his books, I believe no one else could do justice to his warm writing style.
🌟🐕🌟🐕🌟🐕🌟
🌟🐕🌟🐕🌟🐕🌟
June 19, 2024
Sometimes, there's a dog you find that's been dumped, abused, hurt beyond measure, and starved... you rescue the poor sweet dog. You take it home, heal it, and help it, and it loves that you helped it, but for some reason he never can develop good manners, no matter how hard you try to train it. He rescues your heart. You rescued him, but after all is said and done, who rescued who?
You find that after years of being together, even when he prefers to be outside to sleep by nature (to guard the property), Speck still shows up by morning and stays with you through thick and thin. He's your best friend you never knew you needed.
It takes a few years, but he also somehow binds to your brother and your mother, which you thought would never happen, since he has no real dog manners.
This book will win you over and tug at your heartstrings. I loved it and am so glad I was able to listen to Rick Bragg, the author, narrate his experience with this Speckled Beauty on audible. It was a wonderful treat that I highly recommend! 5 easy ⭐️'s!
You find that after years of being together, even when he prefers to be outside to sleep by nature (to guard the property), Speck still shows up by morning and stays with you through thick and thin. He's your best friend you never knew you needed.
It takes a few years, but he also somehow binds to your brother and your mother, which you thought would never happen, since he has no real dog manners.
This book will win you over and tug at your heartstrings. I loved it and am so glad I was able to listen to Rick Bragg, the author, narrate his experience with this Speckled Beauty on audible. It was a wonderful treat that I highly recommend! 5 easy ⭐️'s!
December 9, 2021
Rick Bragg is my favorite living author. His ability to tap into southern literature's strong oral tradition to tell the stories of his life and family gives him the ability to touch the heart of even a dyed-in-the-wool Yankees such as myself.
But then he goes and writes a book about a dog. At this point I think he's just showing off.
Seriously, this book will make you look at your own dogs and ask them why they are so boring.
BTW: I strongly recommend that you listen to Bragg's own reading of this book. It is excellent in audio.
My thanks to Diane, and all the folks at the On the Southern Literary Trail group for giving me the opportunity to read and discuss this and many other fine books.
But then he goes and writes a book about a dog. At this point I think he's just showing off.
"Hey, Tom. Why don't I just write a book that reminds you of every stupid ( or smart) thing any of your dogs have ever done and see how you can handle that. Boy, I can turn you into a basket case quicker than a blue tick can tree a possum. Just see if I can't."
Seriously, this book will make you look at your own dogs and ask them why they are so boring.
BTW: I strongly recommend that you listen to Bragg's own reading of this book. It is excellent in audio.
My thanks to Diane, and all the folks at the On the Southern Literary Trail group for giving me the opportunity to read and discuss this and many other fine books.
October 22, 2021
I’ve said before that I will gladly read anything Rick Bragg writes and it will always be true. The Speckled Beauty is Bragg at his best, as he writes about the things he loves: family, southern culture, and home. I’m not a dog person and yet I adored learning about his crazy dog, Speck. His reminiscing of the dangerous, stupid, crazy, brave things Speck did made me laugh out loud at times and feel like crying at others. This book is about so much more than Speck, though. We learn about Bragg’s health difficulties, return to his childhood home, aging mother, brothers deteriorating health, family’s experiences during covid, and reflections on life in the south. All of this uses Bragg’s wonderful unique voice and perspective, mixing heartfelt reflection and humor. I finished the audiobook because I didn’t want to stop listening to his voice reading this delightful memoir. Highly recommended!!!
October 16, 2021
4.5 stars. Rick Bragg’s tales of the south and his family never fail to charm me.
October 31, 2021
Thoroughly enjoyable to read, this story about a dog and his people packs a lot of emotion. The focus isn't just on the relationship between the author and his dog. We learn about his Southern roots, the Southern culture, and his family. At its core, the story deals with life's challenges (mental health, aging, illness, isolation) and the saving grace of love no matter the source. I needed a few tissues during this one.
Spoiler ahead:
Thank you to the author for writing a dog story where the dog doesn't die at the end - a rare occurrence. :-)
Quotes:
"I have always resented gung-ho people who say, When you get knocked down, pick yourself right back up. I think a young person made that up. Sometimes...it is better to stay down awhile..."
"He is just something that happened to us, in a time of loss and sadness and sickness and uncertainty, when, as the boy Little Arliss said in Old Yeller, we needed us a dog."
Spoiler ahead:
Thank you to the author for writing a dog story where the dog doesn't die at the end - a rare occurrence. :-)
Quotes:
"I have always resented gung-ho people who say, When you get knocked down, pick yourself right back up. I think a young person made that up. Sometimes...it is better to stay down awhile..."
"He is just something that happened to us, in a time of loss and sadness and sickness and uncertainty, when, as the boy Little Arliss said in Old Yeller, we needed us a dog."
July 11, 2021
Author Rick Bragg grew up and currently lives in rural Alabama. He recently was ill with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and lives with his mother and near one of his brothers and sister-in-law. Into his life slowly comes a stray, mostly Australian Shepherd, a large dog with one bad eye and sketchy hearing. They already have two other stray dogs, many cats and even some donkeys, but "Speck" eventually wins his way into everyone's heart. Bragg also takes the reader through the seasons in Alabama and the wildlife there and his family life over the last few years. This is a lovely book to read on a Sunday afternoon at home with the pawed ones you share your life with beside you. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 6, 2021
Wow... what a different book for Rick Bragg. Yes, it had its usual laugh-out-loud situations, but it was what I would call a tragicomedy. This book is as much about the hard times Bragg was going through as it was about his terrible, but funny dog Speck. I loved this book; but after reading so many of his books, the overriding emotion I had was sadness for him at this time. As in his other books, Bragg is so honest about his life, and I appreciate so much how he opens up to his audience. To me, he's one of the great Southern authors.
March 1, 2022
I should have known Rick Bragg would write a beautiful real story about a real dog. I've watched him for years on C-Span's Book TV being interviewed and appearing on panels of book fairs and festivals around the country most often discussing Southern literature with his wry and sometimes uproarious sense of humor. I loved Ava's Man and All Over But the Shoutin' though it's been years since I read them. The Speckled Beauty is the story of his terrible, incorrigible, allegedly unteachable Australian Shepherd mix who comes into his life half-blind, wounded, and scarred; I was in love with Speck from the second page. The story opens in 2017 when Bragg is still suffering from the after effects of successful cancer treatment and living at his octogenarian mother's Alabama farm which he works with his no-nonsense and taciturn but adored oldest brother Sam. Everyone has definite ideas about what a "good dog" is, and Speck does not meet with Momma and Sam's approval. Braggs account covers the following three-plus years which include the arrival of Covid-19, the illness of Sam, and the increasing frailty of their mother. Speck continues to misbehave but wins the hearts and respect of the household. Bragg writes with deep feeling but without sentimentality of his family, Southern culture, and, here, this remarkable dog. I could have finished the book yesterday, but I purposely slowed down because I didn't want it to end.
December 11, 2021
Never met a RB book I didn’t enjoy reading.
Rick is getting older and has some health problems while also facing Covid 19 restrictions like the rest of us, but continues to enjoy life and find comfort in the company of a rambunctious shaggy freckled dog named Speck.
Read for OTSLT - moderators choice 4 stars
Rick is getting older and has some health problems while also facing Covid 19 restrictions like the rest of us, but continues to enjoy life and find comfort in the company of a rambunctious shaggy freckled dog named Speck.
Read for OTSLT - moderators choice 4 stars
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