The Miracles of our Magnificent Ed, A Love Story

by Shannon Braaksma

Magnificent Ed is a lovingly written tribute to a Golden Retriever named Ed, whose pet parents grieved him as one would the loss of a child.  And in truth they had lost a child, but a furry one.  The author struggles in the book with the loss of her beloved dog and also with how to live without him. 

Ed is a figure hovering over the story, through tales of his past life and how he affects Braaksma’s choices after his passing.  The story is written with a sense of whimsy, as Braaksma shares the miracles of Ed and what he brings into her life after he dies.  The book brings to mind the Sir Walter Scott quote, “I have sometimes thought of the final cause of dogs having such short lives and I am quite satisfied it is in compassion to the human race:  for if we suffer so much in losing a dog after an acquaintance of ten or twelve years, what would it be if they were to live double that time?” 

This book will inspire you to look for the miracles in your everyday life, especially those brought into being by your dog.