First published 2014
Benoit Denizet-Lewis starts his journey with a confession. He doesn't think his nine-year-old Labrador mix Casey likes him very much. The New York Times Magazine writer decides to test their bond with an ambitious road trip across America in a rented motor home. Over four months, they cover 13,000 miles through thirty-two states, exploring the country's obsession with dogs. They encounter wolf-dogs in Appalachia and visit a Manhattan dog park filled with eccentric pet owners. A Missouri rescuer shows them the world of stray dog rehabilitation. They meet Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan in California and get stopped by a K9 police officer. Pet psychics, hitchhikers with dogs, and neighbors feuding over poop cleanup complete their cast of characters. As the miles accumulate, Denizet-Lewis examines his own insecurities about his relationship with Casey while investigating what America's dog obsession reveals about national values and character.
Genres: animals, travel, dogs, non-fiction, biography-memoir
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
Setting: America, Appalachia, California, Manhattan, Missouri
341 pages · Hardcover · Simon & Schuster