This is a touching, witty and thought-provoking exploration of the metaphysical aspects of the simple dog walk. Walking Pete (a standard poodle named after a Ghostbuster) opens the author up to different way of looking at the world. As he discovers more about his neighbourhood - its wild fringes, its natural wonders and the characters within it - so he becomes more aware of man's connections to his environment. Each chapter is a meditation on the wisdom derived from dogs and dog walking. Woven into the absorbing narrative are the timeless issues of avoiding saying 'w-a-l-k' in canine company; dog walkers' envy of those who find mafia murder victims and the joy of finding wild, no-rules, dog-walking land on your doorstep. John Zeaman's story of how he achieves a Thoreau-like natural harmony through the simple art of walking his dog will lift your spirits and nourish your soul.
Dog Walks Man
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"John Zeaman looks at an activity that can fill hundreds of hours over the period of year, but has never had its own bard - namely walking a dog. More than a consideration of the human animal bond, this book is an amusing and thoughtful look at our ever changing environment and the flow of our lives. Well worth reading." Stanley Coren, Ph.D., author of "The Modern Dog"
About the Author
John Zeaman is a freelance art critic and the author of several books for children, including How the Wolf Became the Dog. He was thrice honoured by the Society of Silurians, America's oldest press club, for his newspaper column on design in the everyday world. He lives in Leonia, New Jersey, with his wife, Janet Chatfield. They have two grown children.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
The pages herein are like dog walks themselves. You'll enjoy the ones that lead you on a path to adventure, you'll drag yourself through the muddy and grey ones. You'll ultimately be left wondering if spending a few hours in the company of someone regaling you with a detailed history of their dog walks was as good an idea as you first thought when your eyes were stroking the synopsis.
Dog Walks Man tests your patience. Just when you think you're out, it pulls you back in. Here's a passage:
"Right away the once-forbidding aristocratic enclave seemed approachable. I no longer worried that, as trespassers, we were going to be attacked by Dobermans or run off the property by rich girls in Land Rovers. Then, something even better happened."
At this point you're saying to yourself, 'Yes! Here come the zombies, or vampires, or... zompires!' Let's continue...
"Heavy-duty brush cutters and mowers were brought in to clear the dense thicket of shrubs and reeds behind the corals."
Oh, buzzkill.
"They pushed this tangle back a good fifteen feet, creating a nice, wide corridor that became our new gateway into the wild."
Ah, the pay off. Those gateways, whether they be to the wild or daydream adventures. They're probably why you're interested in this book. You've been for dog walks yourself, you know the magic your mind can bring to the most mundane of chores.
It's an interesting idea thought up by the wrong person who's been on the wrong walks. Not wanting to sound too harsh, there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the book. It's written immaculately and with passion, it's on the side of the angels (dogs) and includes whole chapters that will have any dog-owner reader nodding in approval and/or recognition. It's just that it chronicles other moments that are as likely to have them nodding off.
The memoirs of the two-legged Zeaman and four-legged Pete (later joined by Luke) don't compare to the (let's be honest, exaggerated) tales of Marley and are unlikely to hold that book's fans captive. However, the artful depictions of nature and the search for a deeper meaning have the ability to win over an audience that the book will never get marketed towards.
Dog Walks Man tests your patience. Just when you think you're out, it pulls you back in. Here's a passage:
"Right away the once-forbidding aristocratic enclave seemed approachable. I no longer worried that, as trespassers, we were going to be attacked by Dobermans or run off the property by rich girls in Land Rovers. Then, something even better happened."
At this point you're saying to yourself, 'Yes! Here come the zombies, or vampires, or... zompires!' Let's continue...
"Heavy-duty brush cutters and mowers were brought in to clear the dense thicket of shrubs and reeds behind the corals."
Oh, buzzkill.
"They pushed this tangle back a good fifteen feet, creating a nice, wide corridor that became our new gateway into the wild."
Ah, the pay off. Those gateways, whether they be to the wild or daydream adventures. They're probably why you're interested in this book. You've been for dog walks yourself, you know the magic your mind can bring to the most mundane of chores.
It's an interesting idea thought up by the wrong person who's been on the wrong walks. Not wanting to sound too harsh, there's nothing fundamentally wrong with the book. It's written immaculately and with passion, it's on the side of the angels (dogs) and includes whole chapters that will have any dog-owner reader nodding in approval and/or recognition. It's just that it chronicles other moments that are as likely to have them nodding off.
The memoirs of the two-legged Zeaman and four-legged Pete (later joined by Luke) don't compare to the (let's be honest, exaggerated) tales of Marley and are unlikely to hold that book's fans captive. However, the artful depictions of nature and the search for a deeper meaning have the ability to win over an audience that the book will never get marketed towards.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Shazjera
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
Dog Walks Man - A Six-Legged Odyssey
John Zeaman
The blurb on the back cover is exactly what you get. I enjoyed reading every chapter in this book, not only because it relates to me as a dog owner and therefore walker but also because of the insights Zeaman shares. This is not a book just about the dog walk - there are also art snippets, other interesting facts about a multitude of things and the community in which the adventures take place. It should appeal to quite a broad spectrum of people and ages.
I found Zeaman's journeying an accurate reflection of my own experience. The way he describes dogs, their personalities and what they get up to is so true. How he starts off close to home, walking round the block - and then starts to explore other possibilities/areas is also a reflection of how it is. Noticing nature and the changes in seasons is also another large part of being outdoors and something everyone can identify with if they take time to stop and notice the world we are living in.
At no point did I become bored with the narrative or rush my reading. The writing flows and cascades you along in a timeline of events, which is clear and logical. The descriptions and sharing are such that you feel an emotional connection to Pete and even to the area and community where the story unfolds. There is humour sprinkled throughout and one particular part of the story had me laughing so hard and for so long my family was becoming concerned about me .................... Another part of the story had me shedding tears in sorrow and feeling totally wrung out. I could feel the desolation as if it was mine.
I don't think anything I can write would do `Dog Walks Man' total justice. My husband (a reluctant reader) has now started reading it and thoroughly enjoying it which speaks volumes!
I would urge you to buy the book otherwise you will be missing out on the `touching, witty and thought-provoking tale of how one man found meaning in the humble dog walk'.
John Zeaman
The blurb on the back cover is exactly what you get. I enjoyed reading every chapter in this book, not only because it relates to me as a dog owner and therefore walker but also because of the insights Zeaman shares. This is not a book just about the dog walk - there are also art snippets, other interesting facts about a multitude of things and the community in which the adventures take place. It should appeal to quite a broad spectrum of people and ages.
I found Zeaman's journeying an accurate reflection of my own experience. The way he describes dogs, their personalities and what they get up to is so true. How he starts off close to home, walking round the block - and then starts to explore other possibilities/areas is also a reflection of how it is. Noticing nature and the changes in seasons is also another large part of being outdoors and something everyone can identify with if they take time to stop and notice the world we are living in.
At no point did I become bored with the narrative or rush my reading. The writing flows and cascades you along in a timeline of events, which is clear and logical. The descriptions and sharing are such that you feel an emotional connection to Pete and even to the area and community where the story unfolds. There is humour sprinkled throughout and one particular part of the story had me laughing so hard and for so long my family was becoming concerned about me .................... Another part of the story had me shedding tears in sorrow and feeling totally wrung out. I could feel the desolation as if it was mine.
I don't think anything I can write would do `Dog Walks Man' total justice. My husband (a reluctant reader) has now started reading it and thoroughly enjoying it which speaks volumes!
I would urge you to buy the book otherwise you will be missing out on the `touching, witty and thought-provoking tale of how one man found meaning in the humble dog walk'.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
To fully appreciate "Dog Walks Man: A Six-Legged Odyssey" by John Zeaman, one probably needs to bear in mind the circumstances under which it was conceived and the audience for whom it is most likely intended. John Zeaman is an American urbanite, who through the (initially) imposed necessity of walking a dog has come to realise the plight of the modern conurbation-dweller and the risk the human species runs of losing touch with the world beyond our fabricated and over-sanitised urban environments. Increasingly, what passes for "wild" and "natural" is tamed and anything but natural. "Natural" is increasingly not to be tolerated and is branded as unsafe, unhealthy and undesirable.
"Dog Walks Man" is a cry from the heart for the reversal of this thinking; a plea for mankind to listen more closely to the true wilderness that calls from beyond our asphalted and mowed grass parkland substitutes, and to become more closely attuned to natural events, rhythms and dispositions. The vehicle for Zeaman's own personal enlightenment is the humble daily dog walk; both the routine necessity, and the disposition of the hound itself in this process being cathartic, as well as catalytic in engendering the necessary change of mindset.
If this were all that the book had to offer, however, I doubt that it would ever have made it into print (and is unlikely to have sold, if it had). British readers (and indeed American readers away from the North-Eastern states) would probably be left shaking their heads in sadness or bewilderment. Fortunately, Zeaman is a very sharp observer of all around him and no detail is ever too small for him to find merit in reporting, and no aspect of dog walking as an activity per se strikes him as inconsequential. As a result, the book tempers its bigger concerns with smaller scale observations, both amusing and poignant by turns, almost all of which are guaranteed to bring chuckles of recognition from (and, at times, tears to the eyes of) anyone who has ever known or been around dogs or dog-owners for any time at all.
This is a book that slowly and seductively beguiles, provided that you are prepared to slip into the appropriate mindset to be fully receptive to its message; keep your guard up, however, and you are likely to be lost.
"Dog Walks Man" is a cry from the heart for the reversal of this thinking; a plea for mankind to listen more closely to the true wilderness that calls from beyond our asphalted and mowed grass parkland substitutes, and to become more closely attuned to natural events, rhythms and dispositions. The vehicle for Zeaman's own personal enlightenment is the humble daily dog walk; both the routine necessity, and the disposition of the hound itself in this process being cathartic, as well as catalytic in engendering the necessary change of mindset.
If this were all that the book had to offer, however, I doubt that it would ever have made it into print (and is unlikely to have sold, if it had). British readers (and indeed American readers away from the North-Eastern states) would probably be left shaking their heads in sadness or bewilderment. Fortunately, Zeaman is a very sharp observer of all around him and no detail is ever too small for him to find merit in reporting, and no aspect of dog walking as an activity per se strikes him as inconsequential. As a result, the book tempers its bigger concerns with smaller scale observations, both amusing and poignant by turns, almost all of which are guaranteed to bring chuckles of recognition from (and, at times, tears to the eyes of) anyone who has ever known or been around dogs or dog-owners for any time at all.
This is a book that slowly and seductively beguiles, provided that you are prepared to slip into the appropriate mindset to be fully receptive to its message; keep your guard up, however, and you are likely to be lost.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
More than just a walk with his dog
Despite the cover this book is not one of those "funny things that my wacky mutt & I did" although there is some of this. Read more
Published 10 months ago by jimfred
2.0 out of 5 stars
Why?
I have three dogs. I am quite happy to walk them while living in my own little world. This chap has written down what he thinks about when he's walking his. Read more
Published 19 months ago by Mad Saint Uden
2.0 out of 5 stars
wandering
Being an animal lover, I thought a book about a man and his dog would be lovely. It sort of is. The cover promisses a story about a poodle dog and that's what it is about too. Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mrs. P. M. M. Arnott-wissink
3.0 out of 5 stars
low on the metaphysics
If you wanted a chum on your daily dog walk you could do worse than John Zeaman for company. He would chat away merrily about himself and his sweet family and all sorts of... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Silver Moon Sailor
5.0 out of 5 stars
A beautiful meditation
A delightful, touching and funny account of the author's experiences of walking his Poodles, at first with Pete, and later (after Pete's inevitable decline into old age and... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Book Critic
2.0 out of 5 stars
a pleasant read
if you are expecting something akin to 'Marley and me' or 'walking Ollie' you will be very disappointed. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Colliesaluki
5.0 out of 5 stars
I very much sympathise - great book
I ordered this on the advice of my wife who is currently trying to dupe me into buying a dog for the family.
This did not help - this is not what it's about. Read more
This did not help - this is not what it's about. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Dr. D. E. Goldwater
4.0 out of 5 stars
An enjoyable read
I received this book on the Amazon Vine programme. I say received but I chose it and it's odd for me to choose books that aren't entrepreneurial or instructive. Read more
Published 22 months ago by AM
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hugely enjoyable tales of walking the dog
Anyone who has ever taken the dog out for a walk will enjoy this lovely book. John Zeaman who, like so many, bought a dog for his kids who promised faithfully to look after it,... Read more
Published 22 months ago by J. Aitken
4.0 out of 5 stars
Pedestrian philosophy
I suppose I was hoping for more from this book in terms of philosophy. There IS a subtle philosophy running through the book linked to the relationship between the man and the dog... Read more
Published 22 months ago by M. J. Robinson
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