Our Fall Book Club Selection
Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About: A Memoir by Isabel Klee
Isabel Klee made her name on Instagram as @SimonSits, documenting her love for her dog Simon and her adventures fostering dogs in need. This memoir is a look back on Klee’s journey—coming-of-age in New York City, searching for love and meaning as a young adult, and finding unexpected salvation and comfort buried in the fur of the many dogs who passed through her door.
Discussion Questions
- Isabel says, “I’d like to say that I started fostering dogs out of the goodness of my heart, or to alleviate the overwhelming burden put on city shelters, but I think the truth as I wanted a dog of my own but was too broke to afford one.” What do you think of this as an entry point into fostering?
- What stability does fostering dogs provide for Isabel that she doesn’t have in her romantic or professional life?
- As her foster journey continues and Isabel learns more about dog behavior, how does this knowledge at times inform how she approaches her personal relationships?
- Isabel falls in love with Simon at first sight. Despite fostering many dogs, she seems to know even before taking him home that he is meant to be hers. Do you believe you can fall in love with an animal without knowing them? Have you ever had an experience like this before?
- After reading the book, has your opinion on fostering dogs changed at all? If so, how?
- The book opens with Isabel preparing for a TV interview with a foster dog, Twinkle, in her lap whom she worries might not be ready for this big debut. The book closes with Twinkle belly up in the lap of the reporter while Isabel reflects that “It’s amazing what a little love and a little patience can do…” How does this reflect all that Isabel has learned in her youth and in her journey fostering dogs?
