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I was browsing my library’s online audiobook section for “Nonfiction humor” and Birdie and Harlow appeared. The blurb read something like: “…funny and poignant story of one woman’s wonderfully codependent relationship with her dog. And something, something, something…“, I didn’t really need anything beyond the “codependent relationship with her dog.” I was in.
I indeed found a funny story about a dog, but also a touching memoir about the awarding, yet often challenging path to parenthood (both dogs and human children.) My Birdie and Harlow book review:
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What is Birdie and Harlow About?
Birdie and Harlow: Life, Loss, and Loving My Dog So Much I Didn’t Want Kids (…Until I Did) by Taylor Wolfe is a heartfelt memoir that explores the deep bond between Wolfe and her dog, Harlow. The book intertwines timelines of only “child” Harlow and the pregnancy and eventual birth of Harlow’s human sister, Birdie.
Wolfe’s story explores unconditional love and humor that dogs (and children) bring into our lives. She takes readers through life’s highs and lows, including love, loss, and impending motherhood.
At its core, the book is not just about dogs and babies but also about navigating grief, finding resilience, and embracing the challenges of life. Wolfe captures the special role pets play in shaping who we are and how we cope with life’s unpredictability.
Whether you’re a dog lover, baby lover, or simply someone who appreciates a good memoir about personal growth, Birdie and Harlow offers a mix of humor, heartache, and hope.
Who is Taylor Wolfe?
I had no idea who Taylor Wolfe was going into this book. I discovered she is a Jill of many trades: a writer, comedian, blogger, fashion entrepreneur and influencer, T-shirt designer, and obsessive dog Mom. She is known for her sharp wit and relatable storytelling.
Wolfe gained popularity through her blog, The Daily Tay, where she shares humorous anecdotes about her life, her dogs, and her adventures in Chicago and beyond. She apparently hates regular 9-5 office work, and that appears to be a driving factor in how her debut memoir, Birdie and Harlow came to be.
Find Taylor here:
THE DAILY TAY – Just blogging it out
and here:
Now onto the rating! Birdie and Harlow by Taylor Wolfe:
My innovative system for rating humor books is explained here
Wholesomeness Score: 3/5
Relatively wholesome. Plenty of swears, colorful descriptions of pregnancy and childbirth and other mature topics. Bonus wholesomeness points due to excessive content around dogs and babies.
Hilarity Score: 5/5
Birdie and Harlow is very funny. The focus of the book is not the humor per se. But as a part-time stand-up comedian, Wolfe masterfully finds the subtle funny moments. She even turns her dog into a witty jokester with her interpretation of Harlow’s dialogue.
A couple funny quotes, pulled early in the book when Taylor meets Harlow for the first time:
When seeking out a vizsla puppy from a farm in middle-of-nowhere Kansas: “Earl’s bitch, Big Nose Kate, had a litter a couple of months ago, and there were a few puppies still available. For the sake of continuing transparency, yes, it felt weird to me too writing out, “Earl’s bitch, Big Nose Kate, ” but I’m trying to keep it real here.” – Taylor Wolfe, Birdie and Harlow
Regarding the dog seller’s plea to give the animal ample exercise: “I wasn’t exactly sure how the whole “hours and hours of exercise” thing was going to work either since I was more of a Total Body Cardio Dance Workout with Paula Abdul kind of gal, and that video lasted fifteen minutes at most.” – Taylor Wolfe, Birdie and Harlow
Overall Book Awesomeness Score: 4.5/5
Birdie and Harlow is highly awesome. It was funny, heartfelt, and explored universal topics that anyone could relate to. No, I’ve never had a medical balloon inserted into my v@%*#(? to expedite the child birthing process. But I’ve befriended many dogs in my day, so… I get it.
Things I liked:
- Stories about dogs. Who doesn’t love dogs?? If you don’t love dogs, please go away. Buy my book and then go away.
- Funny – Wolfe is a stand-up comedian (among many other things). She has a knack of finding the funny, without trying too hard
- Dialogue with her dog, Harlow. Throughout the book, she narrates two-way “people” conversations with her dog, as if she and Harlow understand each other perfectly.
- calling Harlow “Carl” when he was being extra derpy. No offense to any Carls.
Things I didn’t like:
- Stories about dogs. And stories about dogs are always sad at some point.
- The book timeline jumped back and forth. Wolfe indicated the change in timeline by stating the date for a particular story at the beginning of chapters. Still, I’m not smart enough to follow multiple timelines, even with clear directions.
Conclusion: Birdie and Harlow Book Review
Thanks, library for suggesting this nonfiction humor book to me! Taylor Wolfe is funny, thoughtful, relatable, and perhaps a bit delusional when speaking to her dog. But all of us true dog lovers are a bit delusional. This book would be great for mothers, expectant mothers, dog lovers, humor seekers, and people named Carl.
Scott Johnson is a Midwestern humorist, author of Essays Out of Left Field, and the mind behind scottjohnsonauthor.com. He’s also a husband, dad of three, and Data Systems Administrator (whatever that is). Scott is on a mission to find and read all the funny books. He shares his thoughts on those books, author life, and other delightful randomness with his readers on his website.
