The 71-year-old author’s parents forced her into every life decision before she could finally break free.
Key Takeaways
- Anne Abel is the author of “Mattie, Milo, and Me,” a memoir about her self-healing journey with her children and dogs.
- She grew up in a strict and abusive Jewish household.
- Despite severe depression stemming from her traumatic past, Anne found peace as a mother, author, and storyteller.
Anne Abel is an author and storyteller, most famous for her memoir, “Mattie, Milo, and Me,” released in April 2024.
The Barnes and Noble bestseller chronicles her journey with her rescue dogs, Mattie, a gentle and comforting presence, and Milo, a challenging rescue dog with behavioral issues.
The debut book was met with critical acclaim and was loved by readers, especially those passionate about animals.
As readers ready themselves for her upcoming book, titled “Alive!,” fans of the author are curious to know more about her, from her professional career to her personal life.
Anne Abel was raised in Boston, Massachusetts, to a Jewish family.
She had a challenging childhood. As she recalls in her book, her parents’ abuse led her to become severely depressed in her early adulthood.
In an interview, she recalled,
I was determined to be a different kind of parent than the parents I had. My mother and father each attempted to eliminate any individuality that I had. They wanted to shape me in a certain direction that suited their needs but had nothing to do with my interests or inclinations. My mother was harsh, dismissive and sarcastic with me. My father forbade me to speak at the dinner table and told me he had no interest in what I had to say.
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After her father threatened to not pay for her college education if she did not pursue chemistry, Anne was forced to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Tufts University.
Deciding that chemistry definitely wasn’t for her, she continued her graduate studies and eventually received her MBA from the University of Chicago.
She also received an MFA from The New School for Social Research.
After a brief professional hiatus to determine her future, Anne pursued photography and storytelling.
Eventually, she dropped photography and stuck with storytelling.
Many of her early life stories can be found on her Instagram storytime reels.
She began her writing journey by contributing freelance articles to various publications, including Lilith Magazine, Philadelphia Daily News, and Philadelphia Weekly.
She also penned a weekly column, The Homefront, for Main Line Welcomat.
Abel later taught English and creative writing at the Community College of Philadelphia.
Her professional writing evolved into storytelling, leading her to participate in The Moth StorySLAM events in Chicago and New York City.
Her award-winning story about adopting a challenging dog, Milo, became the basis for her debut memoir.
The memoir explores her personal struggles with depression and the experience of caring for dogs, particularly the bond with Mattie, her first dog, and the challenging journey with Milo, an aggressive rescue dog.
Anne Abel currently lives in New York City with her husband, Andy, and their three rescue dogs, Ryan, Megan, and Chase.
In her memoir, Anne talks about her two sons; however, she does not reveal their identities or current age.
Given that Anne is 71 years old, they likely have moved out and are living their own lives with their own families.
She also discusses how her troubled childhood experiences shaped her into a supportive and understanding mother determined to do better than hers did.
Currently, Anne and Andy share a peaceful life in a fancy New York high-rise apartment with stunning views.
Following Mattie, Milo, and Me, Abel plans to release a second memoir in 2025, titled “Alive!.”
This work will chronicle her decision to travel solo to Australia to see Bruce Springsteen rather than enter a psychiatric hospital for a third time.
This memoir will likely continue Abel’s personal healing and transformation theme through unconventional, heart-driven choices.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Anne Abel’s current trending status is attributed to an apartment tour video she posted on Facebook on October 23, 2024. The video went viral and currently stands at 1 million views.
- Anne’s journey as a dog-lover began when her son pestered her for one for years. That was when she finally gave in and adopted Mattie on her son’s tenth birthday.
