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Description
"The story of Olive and Mabel, Labrador retrievers who rose to internet fame as the subjects of Andrew Cotter's BBC sports parodies. When sporting events were put on hold in March 2020, commentator Andrew Cotter shifted to working from home. The one-on-one competitors? His two Labrador retrievers, Olive and Mabel. In the hilarious videos that ensued, the dogs engage in various contests, from bone-snatching and breakfast-eating to crushing it on the dog walk, while Cotter narrates to hilarious effect. The scene of Mabel, simply standing still in a fetid pond was one of the most popular. Why? Because this is how dogs live, and Cotter captured it with humor and joy. It's why the series has been viewed more than 50 million times, entertaining dog owners, sports fans and celebrities around the world. Olive and Mabel are more than online celebrities, however, as revealed in this charming narrative. Filled with stories about how Cotter fell in love with his dogs, his passion for hiking with them through the glens and over the peaks of his native Scotland, and the ongoing relationship between Olive and Mabel (particularly the "competitive fire" lit during these days of quarantine), the memoir is by turns side-splittingly funny and thoughtfully tender. It's sure to resonate with all dog lovers"--… (more)
User reviews
He started filming his dogs at their ordinary activities, and commentating as if it were a sporting event. The first was of Olive and Mabel eating their breakfast, timed and commented on as a race. That first video was a passing idea that seemed like a good one, with no plans for any follow-ups. It went viral.
Cotter didn't originally intend to make any more such videos, but he kept getting questions about "the next one." Eventually, he did another, and another, eventually including a "Zoom meeting" with Olive and Mabel. Olive and Mabel became famous. As life started to open up again, they were being stopped, when out and about, by people, especially children, who wanted to meet the dogs, not Andrew Cotter.
But Cotter doesn't tell us only about the videos, but also about Olive and Mabel, and climbing the hills and mountains of Scotland with them. We learn about the dogs, their lives, their personalities, and both the joys and the challenges of going up snow-covered mountains with two very active, enthusiastic dogs.
It's a lot of fun, and very satisfying.
I bought this audiobook.
Andrew Cotter delivers an honest departure from dominating our fellow creatures
to a true and easy enjoyment of the friendship of canine companions.
And, how wonderful to have a book that includes many, many great
Thank You Olive and Mabel!
Fewer mentions of a future without Olive or Mabel would be welcome,
as well as fewer of the repeating mountain adventures.
He could have so easily cashed-in & said yes to every - sometimes dubious - offer, but instead put Olive, Mabel & a few testing hill walks first.
A lovely, funny heart-warming read.
In reading the book having heard Andrew's voice many times, it was treat to be able to read his words