The Dog Went Over the Mountain

July 15, 2019
Meanderings around America in the company of an obliging yellow Lab. "Not every trip we take is life-altering or results in a profound epiphany," writes freelance journalist Zheutlin (Rescued: What Second-Chance Dogs Teach Us About Living With Purpose, Loving With Abandon, and Finding Joy in the Little Things, 2017, etc.), who demonstrates the truth of that statement. Closing in on retirement age, he and Albie hit the road in homage to John Steinbeck's Travels With Charley. Zheutlin travels wide but seldom deep, gathering anecdotes over 9,000 miles from New England to the West Coast and back. He notes that Vicksburg, Mississippi, "even with its rich Civil War history, seemed forlorn" and hastens on to Natchez, which "was prettier and seemed more prosperous." If he'd lingered for a moment in Vicksburg, he might have learned why that might be the case and why residents of that city still nurse hard feelings for their neighbors downriver. Some of his stories have more weight to them. A nice moment comes early on, when he describes the so-called Jackson Whites, "a race living in the Ramapo Mountains" who were probably a mixed population of runaway slaves, Native Americans, Hessian deserters, and other people who had good reason to want to be left alone. Albie is definitely the star of the show; like all Labs, he can be growly at times but is otherwise an amiable presence. It doesn't help his case that Zheutlin uses Albie to sentimental, sometimes-cloying ends, as when he writes of a homeless woman he encounters, "Albie, of course, cannot make judgments about people's circumstances, which may be why meeting a dog that cannot and will not discriminate against you based on your circumstances, your race, or your religion must be...a lesson for us all." Nostrums notwithstanding, the narrative is unchallenging and easygoing, like something Charles Kuralt might have delivered in his TV travelogues of old. Pleasant enough but a soufflé that leaves Steinbeck with nothing to worry about.

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September 1, 2019

Before his 65th birthday, Zheutlin (Rescue Road) and his nine-year-old rescue retriever mix Albie set out on a journey across America. Inspired by John Steinbeck's Travels with Charley, he drove 9,000 miles in six weeks, beginning in New England. Zheutlin detoured from Steinbeck's route in a few places--a drive along Natchez Trace parkway, a side trip to Woody Guthrie's hometown in Oklahoma, and a stopover in Louisiana to visit the organization that united his family with Albie. The object was to "share a more lighthearted, heartfelt, and dog-friendly tour of America." He doesn't dive as deeply into the social issues as Paul Theroux (Deep South) but also doesn't avoid politics, race, and animal abuse when it came up. Covering a leisurely 200 miles a day, the author and Albie stay in mostly budget motels and with friends, and eat at pet-friendly cafés while visiting with restaurant owners, a California state senator, musicians, and tourists along the way. VERDICT An entertaining account of a man and his dog traveling along America's highways--teen and adult fans of Bill Bryson's travel books and stories of rescue animals will find this delightful.--Susan Belsky, Oshkosh P.L., WI

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2019
Zheutlin (Rescued, 2017) hits the road with his beloved labrador, Albie, in a mid-life reckoning in the vein of John Steinbeck's Travels With Charley. Fans of Zheutlin's previous titles will find exactly what they expect here: a deep affection for dogs (spoiler alert: Albie is happy and healthy as the book ends), a winsome curiosity about the folks he meets along the way, and a spirit of mature adventure that inspires him to save dogs or, as in this title, get just a wee bit off the beaten path. Planned generally around Steinbeck's journey, Zheutlin's route included a few personal must-sees, such as the Oklahoma home of Woody Guthrie and a visit with the two women who saved Albie's life back when he was in a brutal Louisiana animal shelter. Mostly though, this is the territory of Bill Bryson: a wry, thoughtful look at the byways of America with a guide who endeavors more to have pleasant conversations than conduct probing discourse, admitting that he avoids politics like the plague. Book clubs should certainly consider taking this delightful trip.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)