Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried AboutDogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About
What it's about
Isabel Klee, creator of the dog-rescue account @SimonSits, always wanted to live in New York. At twenty, she moved into a grungy basement apartment in Manhattan, took a job assisting a dog photographer, and began fostering rescue dogs. This memoir follows her search for love in the city, and the dogs who taught her what love looks like.
Why it's worth reading
It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2026. It's funny, warm and full of dogs, an easy pleasure of a memoir.
You'll love it if you liked
Beyond the Wand
Greenlights
I'm Glad My Mom DiedGood to know
It's light and quick to read. Dog lovers will cry at least once.
By the numbers
- Readers55 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller35 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #223 of the 290 memoirs and biographies we rank
- #304 of the 481 new books we rank
- #1763 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
True story
If you like this, read next
King: A Life
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
Things in Nature Merely Grow
Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice
Liliana's Invincible Summer: A Sister's Search for Justice
Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of SpaceExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About worth reading?
Yes. It reached #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in 2026. It ranks #1,763 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 65.9 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About about?
Isabel Klee, creator of the dog-rescue account @SimonSits, always wanted to live in New York. At twenty, she moved into a grungy basement apartment in Manhattan, took a job assisting a dog photographer, and began fostering rescue dogs. This memoir follows her search for love in the city, and the dogs who taught her what love looks like.
How long does it take to read Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About?
About 7 hours (288 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I've Cried About?
If you liked it, try Beyond the Wand by Tom Felton, Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey or I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy.