Non-Fiction annotation

Travels with Casey
by Benoit Denizet-Lewis

Publication date: July 22, 2014

Number of pages: 352

Series information: n/a

Geographical setting: United States of America

Time period: contemporary

Subject headings: dogs--United States; dogs--effect of human beings on--United States

Summary: Author Denizet-Lewis confesses to a psychologist that he believes his Labrador Retriever named Casey doesn't love him.  In an attempt to bond with his dog, Denizet-Lewis rents an RV and plots out a cross-country examination of America's dog culture.  They spend the day at a dog park in NYC, with a couple of homeless teens and their dogs in California, and the afternoon with a woman who taken to court over dog poop.  They visit Cesar Millan, a dog clinic that rehabilitated the dogs confiscated from Michael Vick, and the headquarters of PETA.  It is an enlightening journey, not just into how Americans feel about their dogs, but for Denizet-Lewis personally.

Librarian's Opinion: Throughout the book, Denizet-Lewis' humor and positivity shines as he navigates the country and his relationships with Casey and other humans.  I enjoyed reading his perspective.  As a dog person myself, I appreciated this comprehensive view into America's dog culture.  Not every story is cute, some are depressing, and some are surprisingly revealing about humans.  Portions of the book focus on relationships, both platonic and romantic, that the author makes along the way but the vast majority is focused on all aspects of dog culture.  While a good book in many regards, a strong interest in the subject matter is necessary.

Elements of the book

Narrative

This book is written more towards the narrative end of the non-fiction spectrum.  Readers new to non-fiction may enjoy that this is written more as a story of one man's roadtrip rather than a series of facts about dogs and their effects on their human owners.  In order to make seem more like a story, the author breaks up his dog-related visits with anecdotes about friends he meets along the way, the man he begins dating halfway through his roadtrip and their efforts to meet up at different locations in the country, and talk of his own family, human and canine.

Pacing

While readers are bound to find some topics more interesting than others, the books flows at a good pace.  Denizet-Lewis does not bog his readers down with long sentences, and he typically goes from one roadtrip stop to the next.  Occasionally, however, the pacing may seem off when he relates a story out-of-order.  He may have stopped somewhere or met someone that did not have enough of an impact to be related in full, but he may bring up this event in an anecdotal paragraph during a more noteworthy event that occurs weeks later.

Author's voice

Denizet-Lewis writes in a conversational, personable fashion.  As stated earlier, his humor and positivity shines through in his stories.  Even when he comes across dogs (and sometimes people) in horrible circumstances, he tries to find an optimistic angle if at all possible.  The author's voice helps blend this travelogue with animal nonfiction, and keeps readers turning the pages.

Subject matter

While the author has a personable writing style and this narrative non-fiction flows at a good pace, if the reader is not at all or only slightly interested in dogs, this may book may not be for them.  The author plans out the roadtrip stops to explore all aspects of dog culture.  He speaks to owners, breeders, and professional walkers.  He speaks with shelter workers, dog psychologists, and one of the world's leading dog toy designers.  He has two pet photography sessions, attends a dog yoga class on the beach, and stays overnight in an inn shaped like a massive beagle.  The book will delve into topics readers expect and may introduce them to new aspects of American dog culture, and amaze them with how much people love their dogs.

Similar Reads

• Off the Leash: A Year at the Dog Park by Matthew Gilbert--Another non-fiction memoir that revolves around dogs.  Similar to the beginning of Travels with Casey when the author stays a day at an NYC dog park, Gilbert spends a year visiting a Boston dog park.  A reluctant first time owner of an enthusiastic Lab puppy, Gilbert is exposed to dog culture and the pack of wacky dog owners who visit the park along him.
• My Old Dog: Rescued Pets with Remarkable Second Acts by Laura T. Coffey & Lori Fusaro--This book may be a good recommendation for those readers interested in dogs yet unsure about non-fiction.  The stories of these rescue dogs, some who were rescued from extreme situations (such as Ground Zero) and some who were adopted in to extraordinary families, are told in an anecdotal fashion accompanied with full page photographs.  The book can be read entirely or flipped through at leisure.
• A Dog's Purpose by Bruce W. Cameron--Delving back into fiction, Cameron is well-known for his dog-centric novels.  This humorous book is the first in a series.  The story follows a dog who keeps reincarnating into a new life, meeting and loving new owners.  Viewing life through a puppy's eyes, Cameron explores the great mystery of "why are we here?" and the worth of companionship.

Sorry, we talked about dogs again.  Here's my boy Zero!