My Book Reviews

My Review of Catching Sight by Deni Elliott

©2026 by Abbie Johnson Taylor

From Audible

 

“An uplifting demonstration of how astonishingly intelligent guide dogs are and the life-changing bond they create.”—Brian Hare, author of Puppy Kindergarten

“Readers will fall in love with this heartwarming story of human-animal connection and resilience.”—Shelf Awareness

One woman’s journey through progressive blindness and the extraordinary guide dog who kept her safe along the way

When ethics scholar Deni Elliott, born with limited vision, realized she could no longer navigate the world safely alone, she turned to a guide dog—a decision that reshaped her understanding of disability and independence.

Written in collaboration with master trainer Graham Buck, Catching Sight offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of guide dog breeding and training, revealing the intelligence and decision-making skills these dogs develop from birth.

Catching Sight is for readers interested in the transformative power of human relationships with animals. As Deni confronts her changing reality, she shares the hidden world of guide dog training and introduces Alberta, a yellow Lab whose quiet brilliance changed her interaction with the world and herself.

Catching Sight offers a fresh and unforgettable perspective on disability, identity, and the power of partnership.

 

Catching Sight Audiobook by Deni Elliott, Graham Buck

 

My 5-Star Review

 

Being a dog-lover and visually impaired, though never having had or wanted a guide dog, I find these stories fascinating. The Audible narrator does an excellent job, and I’m glad I picked up this book.

One thing that caught my attention is the irony of an ethics professor not being ethical by hiding her visual impairment from even her husband, at first. Deni Elliott does a remarkable job of pointing this out. Several instances of such irony are scattered throughout the book.

I was fascinated to learn how guide dogs are bred and raised before being trained to work with a blind handler. It’s amazing how these dogs are trained to follow many commands. I even learned why they call it park time when guide dogs are taken outside to relieve themselves, and that’s an interesting story.

I enjoyed watching Deni Elliott evolve from being in denial to coming to terms with her visual impairment. She takes us inside the minds of Alberta, the first dog with whom Guiding Eyes for the Blind matched her, and Graham, the trainer, whose introduction at the book’s beginning adds a nice touch. If you have a guide dog or know someone who does, or even if you enjoy stories about people and dogs bonding, Catching Sight is for you. Thank you for reading.

 

New! Living Vicariously in Wyoming: Stories

Copyright 2025 by Abbie Johnson Taylor

Published independently with the help of DLD Books.

 

The scene shows an isolated barn off to the right in a snowy field, probably shortly after sunset. The foreground is a mixture of white, blue, and brown shades. Behind the barn is a line of dense, dark trees, many of them evergreens. The sky is the pink one sometimes sees at sunset, and a full moon hangs above the treetops to the left. The title is in plain black letters against the sky with a white glow behind them. The author’s name is in white letters near the bottom of the cover.

Image Description written by Leonore Dvorkin of DLD Books.

 

As defined in the first story, living vicariously means living your life through someone else’s. You’re invited to live vicariously through the lives of the people in these stories. There’s the lawyer who catches his wife in the act with a nun. A college student identifies with a character in a play. A young woman loses her mother and finds her father. And a high school student’s prudish English teacher strenuously objects to a single word in her paper.

In Wyoming, as in any other state, people fall in love, and sometimes relationships are shattered. Accidents, domestic violence, prejudice, and crimes all occur. Lives are torn apart, and people are reunited. Ordinary people deal with everyday and not–so–everyday situations.

The 25 stories in this collection, most of which are set in Wyoming, are about how the various characters resolve their conflicts—or not.

 

Click here for more information and ordering links.

Abbie wears a blue and white V-neck top with different shades of blue from sky to navy that swirl together with the white. She has short, brown hair and rosy cheeks and smiles at the camera against a black background.

Photo Courtesy of Tess Anderson Photography

Photo Resize and Description

by Two Pentacles Publishing

 

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