Friday, 16 August 2019

Book ~ "The Dog Went Over the Mountain: Travels With Albie: An American Journey" (2019) Peter Zheutlin

From Goodreads ~ On the cusp of turning 65, a man and his beloved rescue dog of similar vintage take a poignant, often bemusing, and keenly observed journey across America and discover a big-hearted, welcoming country filled with memorable characters, a new-found appreciation for the life they temporarily left behind, and a determination to live more fully in the moment as old age looms. 

Inspired by John Steinbeck’s "Travels with Charley", Zheutlin, hits the road for a 9,000-mile odyssey with Albie to experience all that American is and means today. 

I've read and enjoyed a couple books by Zheutlin about rescue dogs.  In this book, he writes about a trip across the U.S. he made with his rescue dog, Albie.

Zheutlin had read John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley and decided when he was in his mid-60s to do the same with Albie.  After about a year of planning, he and Albie drive around the U.S.

This book is a diary of sorts of Zheutlin and Albie's journey ... the places they see, the people they meet and the adventures they have.  He found that because he had a dog with him people would more easily will talk with him because most are drawn to dogs.

I thought this book was just okay.  I think an American would enjoy it more because Zheutlin was describing in detail the various U.S. places he and Albie were exploring and the people and politics there were encountering and I had a hard time relating.

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