The sixteen stories in
Old Dogs and Other Stories
are mostly told through the lens of the recurring main character, Buddy, who is seen at different stages of his life, from boyhood to old age. Buddy wrestles with issues of masculinity in a changing world-insecurities, relationships (especially with the women in his life), his role as a father (and son), and as a man constantly coming of age.
The stories are contemporary and topics wide-ranging, touching on: Buddy's struggle to accept and identify with Judaism, family life with all its shifts and conflicts, sexuality, death, dogs, surfing, therapy, the mundanity of everyday life, escape, drugs and addiction, and starting over-and over.
Buddy is flawed and knows it. He wants to be kind and loving, but often fails. Despite the occasional grimness and grittiness, the stories are often lightened with humor and wit. Buddy is able to laugh at himself and at the absurd situations he finds himself in. And, in the end, he always finds hope.
"This rich collection showers the reader with the complexity of ordinary life, the atmospheric reach of remembered pain and taking charge of resolution. Freedman's writing doesn't lead the reader by the nose, rather suggests a side-by-side walk through others' realities, sometimes bedazzling us to find they mirror our own. You'll be drawn in by dialogue so skillfully penned, that its authenticity feels like memory more than fiction. This assemblage of stories doesn't just stay with a reader, it takes on a life of its own."
--Ciel Downing, author of
To Walk the North Direction
and
Black Dragonfish