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The Dog Says How | 
 enlarge | Creator: Kevin Kling
Publisher: HighBridge Company
Category: Book
List Price: $22.95
Buy New: $13.05
You Save: $9.90 (43%)
New (21) Used (8) from $13.05
Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 299792
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
Media: Audio CD
Edition: Unabridged; 3.75 hours on 3 CDs
Pages: 180
Number Of Items: 3
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 5.9 x 5.1 x 0.7
ISBN: 1598878255
Dewey Decimal Number: 814
EAN: 9781598878257
ASIN: 1598878255
Publication Date: September 2, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Absolutely Brand New & In Stock. 100% 30-Day Money Back. Direct from our warehouse. Ships by USPS. 1+ million customers served-In business since 1986. Happy Customers is Our #1 Goal. Toll Free Support
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Product Description
A popular storyteller and National Public Radio commentator weaves scenes of childhood antics and adult absurdities into tales that provoke laughter—and elicit tears.
Kevin Kling is a master storyteller, as anyone knows who has seen him perform or heard him on National Public Radio's All Things Considered. Drawing on his memories—an eventful Christmas at the Klings, taxidermy class, hopping freight trains, getting struck by lightning, joining a circus, eating things before knowing what they are—he invites us into his life of growing up in Minnesota, traveling the world, and relying on the strangeness of others.
He also shares tales of overcoming personal tragedy, including a congenital arm disability and a near-fatal motorcycle accident. As a result of the accident, he could no longer type and had to learn to use voice-recognition software. The computer translated the barks of his dog into "How," hence the title, The Dog Says How.
Hilarious and tender, comical and deeply poignant, these 29 tales will please anyone who loves a good story.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 Kling hits it out of the park (and the Twins are watching!) December 1, 2008
Pyewacket (Frostbite Falls, MN USA)
Kevin Kling is a well-known local writer and performer in the Minneapolis-St Paul area. He recently demonstrated his brilliant narrative talents in Mill City Museum's "Minneapolis in 19 Minutes Flat".
On a trip to Indiana, I was able to listen to the entire 3-cd set of "The Dog Says How", along with six other family members. There were many moments when Kling's storytelling had our entire family in tears--both from touching moments, and more so, from hilarious ones. He is particularly adept at capturing the mood in telling stories from his childhood, especially the ones recalling his brother. Great for road trips!
Episodes of note are on Disc 1: Accident (2), Dogs (5-6), Beaver in a Box (7-8), Taxidermy (10-11), View from the Card Table (17-19). Disc 2: Mom's purse (1), Marching Band (5-6). The very best of the collection is on Disc 3: My Brother's Bachelor Party (3-4).
Makes me miss Minnesota December 1, 2008
Tim Lieder (New York, NY)
In a recent episode of How I Met Your Mother - Season Three Ted indicated that he was a midwesterner and he avoids uncomfortable emotoinal scenes and keeps his emotions in check like a good midwesterners. Many online commentators wondered why Ted would be so eager to identify himself as a midwesterner when most of his character could be encapsulated as "Manhattan is awesome! New Jersey blows!" I couldn't explain it but I knew the feeling. For most of us transplanted midwesterners in New York, we identify with the places that we fled to get to New York. Whether its Minnesota or Ohio or Iowa, we took a lot from our homes and we tend to celebrate it, even to the point of getting defensive about the native New Yorker's belief that our homes are flyover zones. And it's POP! Not soda. It's pop that we are drinking out of cans. If you have phosphate and maybe ice cream, it's soda. Otherwise, call it pop.
New Jersey just reminds us of why we fled our homes in the first place. It's like one large working class suburb. I've been lost in suburban Minnesota. I've been lost in New Jersey. The only difference seems to be less snow and more war memorials.
But let's talk about what I love about Minnesota. I love the art community. I love the fact that I can go to a play in Minnesota without maxxing out my credit cards or sending my landlord an apologetic letter. I love the sculpture garden and the way every artist knows each other. I love Uptown and Dinkytown. I also love the blizzards (especially now when I have to deal with rain on the last day of November). I love First Avenue. I love the gourmet ice cream. I also love the way people don't usually try to fake an attitude if they have nothing to show for it.
And Kevin Kling has been part of that art community that I love so much. I once met him backstage at a holiday reading when I was working as an usher. He stopped to make conversation and I didn't even know he was the star until he was called to get on stage. I have not seen nearly as many Kling shows as I would like, but the fact that he's working in the Minnesota theater community and creating new material on a regular basis makes me happy to know that the Minnesota arts community is still in existence.
This CD is a series of vignettes from the story telling version of theater. Many Minnesota artists like to put on one man shows and rather than screech and throw chocolate on themselves (Karen Finley still annoys me), they tell stories. The audience pays to hear them talk about their lives as farm kids, their trips to Checkloslavakia or their dogs. The fun is inversely proportional to the tedium expected. These are great storytellers. They can make even the mundane seem fascinating.
Kevin Kling will be compared to Garrison Keillor, but where Garrison Keillor is a laconic relief for harried New Yorkers selling a version of Minnesota where everything moves at a very slow pace, Kling is all ya sure and youbetcha Minnesota. Think Fargo (Special Edition) but without the murder. He talks about waiting by the radio for snow cancellations to come around to his school (something I remember doing many winter mornings. Sadly, I was living closer to the cities and the snow plows were much better at clearing away the snow than up in Osseo), his motorcycle accident, and seeing Ian McKellan in the traveling production of Richard III. Some stories are universal. SOme are indicative of Minnesota where everyone tries to get by without too much fuss (I tell you, the biggest culture shock in converting to Judaism was the practice of "kvetching". See a problem. Fix a problem. Don't worry about it.) including his comparison of waiting rooms in the North (no one really wants anyone to know what's going on) to waiting rooms in the South(even people who aren't there for anything will tell you their medical history) and some are just strange like his story of the performance artist in Checkloslavakia (a story that he's told many times but it gets funnier every time).
All in all, this is a warm and weird collection of tales by a very decent and likeable individual. I can't recommend it enough. I also can't recommend it without also noting that this is the way many Minnesotans view themselves - direct, friendly and a little strange.
 An enjoable series November 30, 2008
T. Stratton (Chambersburg, PA USA)
This is a very enjoyable audio book. Short tales of humor of a young boy growing up in the Mid West, Minnesota and Iowa. If you're from the Mid West or Mid Atlantic regions and grew up in the pre Vietnam area you will especially find these readings humorus and enjoyable. The auther read it with great expression.
It's light and the chapters short...great for listing in the car while driving.
 Short and Sweet Vignettes November 26, 2008
Jennifer (Connecticut, USA)
I wasn't sure what to expect from this CD. These types of books can run the gamut from overly emotional, profane, boring, or delightful.
This audio version is mostly delightful. It's recorded by the author himself, which I always enjoy. While it might not be as polished as a professional narrator, you can hear his joy and familiarity with the story as he tells it.
The stories are mostly about his growing up years in Minnesota, not recorded in any sort of chronological (or topical) order as far as I could tell. None are too light or too syrupy sweet. As I listened, I laughed aloud or grinned in recognition or shook my head in disbelief.
I enjoy audiobooks, but if I listen for a while and then put it aside, I sometimes lose my place. Because it's a series of essays, this book is ideal for listening in short spurts -- before going to bed at night, or while running an errand in the car.
Finally I can acess Kling when I want to!! November 23, 2008
liat2768 (dallas)
Kling has been a contributor to NPR for years now and his wonderful wit and delivery have made me an instant fan. There is an essential understanding of humanity, love and simple nature that gives a sense of truth to his stories. I got the book on cd instead of in the printed version and it was totally worth it. The author's narrative style and art of delivery are what make up so much of the wonder of his work. Like Garrison Keillor much of his stories and warm humor lie in his delivery and I am so glad to have the book-on-cd and have Kling's stories accessibe whenever I feel like it!
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