Book Review: Thunder Dog by Michael Hingson



Thunder Dog

by:  Michael Hingson with Susy Flory

About the Book:

"A blind man and his guide dog show the power of trust and courage in the midst of devastating terror.

It was 12:30 a.m. on 9/11 and Roselle whimpered at Michael’s bedside. A thunderstorm was headed east, and she could sense the distant rumbles while her owners slept. As a trained guide dog, when she was “on the clock” nothing could faze her. But that morning, without her harness, she was free to be scared, and she nudged Michael’s hand with her wet nose as it draped over the bedside toward the floor. She needed him to wake up.  With a busy day of meetings and an important presentation ahead, Michael slumped out of bed, headed to his home office, and started chipping away at his daunting workload. Roselle, shivering, took her normal spot at his feet and rode out the storm while he typed. By all indications it was going to be a normal day. A busy day, but normal nonetheless. Until they went into the office.

In Thunder Dog, follow Michael and his guide dog, Roselle, as their lives are changed forever by two explosions and 1,463 stairs. When the first plane struck Tower One, an enormous boom, frightening sounds, and muffled voices swept through Michael’s office while shards of glass and burning scraps of paper fell outside the windows.  But in this harrowing story of trust and courage, discover how blindness and a bond between dog and man saved lives and brought hope during one of America’s darkest days."

My Review:

Can you imagine being blind and being 78 floors up in the World Trade Center when an unbelievable horror causes you to flee for your life?  This is Michael Hingson's story of survival and trust with his guide dog Roselle.  I loved this book and finished it in a day!  Travel down those 78 floors with Michael and Roselle as they make their way through the smoke filled stairwells.  The bond that they have helped Michael to trust Roselle's judgement and kept them both calm and got them through the 9/11 nightmare.  In reading about the event that changed both of their lives forever you also learn a great deal about blindness and how far technology has come in making life easier and enjoyable for the blind. I am amazed and thrilled to see how independent a blind person can be.  

Michael has also included resources for the blind as well as "The Courtesy Rules for Blindness" that every sighted person should read.  I highly recommend this book, it is wonderfully enlightening and inspiring.  I having all my kids read it! 

*I received a complimentary copy of Thunder Dog via BookSneeze for purposes of this review, however all opinions are my own.