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  • Title: My Doggie and I
  • Author: R. M. Ballantyne
  • Narrator: Allyson Hester
  • Length: 04:25:41
  • Version: Abridged
  • Release Date: 01/01/2016
  • Publisher: LibriVox
  • Genre: Non-Fiction, Science & Technology, Animals & Nature
  • ISBN13: SABLIB9783438
Hello fellow wanderers and word-lovers,

There’s a particular magic that happens when a dog enters a story – especially one narrated with the warmth of a fireside tale. That’s exactly what I discovered in “My Doggie and I”, R.M. Ballantyne’s lesser-known Victorian gem, brought to life through Allyson Hester’s thoughtful narration. As someone who’s spent years collecting stories in far-flung places – from Oaxacan grandmothers’ oral traditions to the windswept tales of Patagonian gauchos – I can tell you this audiobook carries that same intimate quality of a story shared between friends.

Listening to Dumps (or Pompey, as he’s alternately called) weave together the lives of a child waif, a young doctor, and an elderly lady, I was transported back to my own canine companion from childhood. My scrappy terrier mix, Pancho, had that same uncanny ability to bridge worlds – between my immigrant family and our affluent Connecticut neighbors, between my bookish solitude and the wild adventures waiting beyond our backyard fence. Ballantyne captures this universal truth about dogs: they’re furry diplomats of the heart.

Hester’s narration deserves particular praise for how she handles the Victorian sentimentality. Where a lesser narrator might lean into melodrama, she finds the authentic emotional core – much like those Oaxacan storytellers who taught me that true sentiment comes from restraint. Her character voices are distinct yet subtle, particularly her portrayal of the street child which avoids caricature while maintaining period authenticity. The production quality (a crucial factor for us audiobook veterans) is clean throughout, though the LibriVox recording does have that slight hollow quality common to volunteer-produced works.

Ballantyne’s story unfolds like a tapestry of Victorian social commentary. Through Pompey’s adventures, we see class barriers dissolve – the doctor’s educated cadences blending with the waif’s streetwise idioms in Hester’s capable vocal range. It’s “Black Beauty” meets “Oliver Twist”, but with more whimsy than tragedy. Modern listeners might need to adjust to the pacing – this isn’t today’s bite-sized storytelling, but rather a slow unfurling that rewards patience, much like my favorite travel narratives where the journey matters more than the destination.

The surprise ending (which I won’t spoil) genuinely caught me off guard during my morning commute, prompting a laugh that turned heads on the subway. That’s the mark of great storytelling – when it leaps from your headphones into your daily life. While some Victorian tropes feel dated (the idealized young woman character could use more agency), the central message about compassion across social divides remains strikingly relevant.

For fellow travelers of both literal and literary roads, I’d recommend pairing this listen with a long walk (dog optional but encouraged). It’s perfect for:
– Fans of classic animal stories seeking something beyond the usual suspects
– Victorian literature enthusiasts who enjoy discovering obscure gems
– Anyone who’s ever been transformed by an animal’s love

Just be warned – you might find yourself eyeing rescue dogs afterward. I certainly did.

With paws and pages,
Marcus Rivera