Lessons from Lucy (Dave Barry) - Simon & Schuster - 2019 - Approx. 4 hours

I accidentally order this book in DVD form.  It turned out to be a lucky mistake since this version was read by the author.  Certain passages cannot be fully appreciated without the emotions revealed by the author's voice.  The volume is full of the signature Dave Barry humor but there are serious portions as well.  Barry writes that this represents his "Late Life" (age 70) crisis in which he realizes that his loyal family dog, Lucy is a better "person" than he is.  And so, he fills 3.5 hours of spoken words evaluating the following "Seven Lessons from "Lucy":

1. "Make new friends and keep the ones you have" (Dave's current grade: C)

2. "Don't stop having fun and if you have stopped, start having fun again" (A)

3. "Pay attention to the people you love - not later - right now" (C+)

4. "Let go of your anger unless it's about something really important which it almost never is" (B-)

5. "Try not to judge people by their looks and don't obsess over your own" (B-)

6. "Don't let your happiness depend upon things that don't make you happy and you almost never have enough anyway" (B+)

7. "Don't lie unless you have a really good reason, which you probably don't" (B)

A strange thing happened as this book was getting ready for the market in the fall of 2018; the Barry family experienced a life-changing family event.  The last thirty minutes of CD #4 contains Dave's personal account of the event.  It is the most important part of this book.  You will not read the spoiler here.  [JAM 5/2/2019]