5 January 2026

A Good Read

Barrie by Seán Laidlaw

This true story became a viral news sensation. Former Royal Engineer Sean Laidlaw was working as a bomb disposal expert in Syria when he heard whimpering from the rubble of a school that had collapsed. At first he thought it was a child but further inspection revealed a tiny, abandoned puppy, surrounded by her four dead siblings. The terrified puppy initially rejected Sean's advances but he refused to give up. He made sure she was safe and brought her food and drink, and cordoned off the area to ensure it was safe from explosives. After a few days Barrie grew to trust Sean and eventually the two became inseparable. When Sean returned to the UK he had to leave Barrie behind but when his contract wasn't renewed he knew he had to go back for her and after a long and difficult battle he was able to bring her to the UK. The two created an unbreakable bond and they were reunited in emotional scenes that made headlines all over the world. Sean credits Barrie with helping him with his PTSD and their story is a powerful reminder of the incredible bond that dogs and humans have, and how both can help save the other.

It's a lovely heartwarming read.

∼ Happy Reading∼ 

Polly x

18 comments:

  1. That does sound like a good book! And a good one to start off 2026 with.

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  2. Sounds as though I would need a tissue when reading this book!

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  3. Oh, it sounds like a great book. And I know you mustn't judge a book by its cover but come on!! That cover alone would make me get the book.

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  4. What a sad but beautiful story. It sounds really good and heartwarming.

    Love,
    Janie

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  5. Polly, I had not heard of this story until reading your post and this sounds like a good non-fiction read if I find the book in my local library. Thanks for the synopsis and hope that you have a great 2026, my blogger friend.

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  6. Regretfully, I checked the library catalog and this book is not available, which is not surprising as that happens with many books that bloggers in other countries recommend.

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    1. That's such a shame. You might be able to find it on ebay

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  7. Such a heartwarming story!
    The cute cover makes me want to pick it up right away!

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  8. This sounds just wonderful. I'll have to look for it here.

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