New book: REX and the CITY

"REX AND THE CITY started as a column in The Bark magazine back in 2000. It tells the story of the trials and tribulations my then-boyfriend endured when we impulsively adopted an abused shelter dog and tried to raise him in New York City.

The column (which in the magazine is called “Rex in the City”) was popular with readers from the start. The initial plan was to publish only six installments of the series, but readers kept begging for more (and we’re talking 100,000 subscribers). By the time I had enough material for a book, Ted and I had married, and then divorced, and then, in 2002, the dog died.

Thus, this book was written in honor of Sir Wallace Wagsalot, our very special and complicated spaniel. I like to think this book is not about endings, however; it is about beginnings—namely, the first six months my then-boyfriend Ted and I spent with that wonderful dog. Incredible transformations occurred during that time, for both me and Ted, and for Wallace. As we rehabilitated him (from a fearful, aggressive creature into a cream-puff), and rehabilitated us (from a fearful, non-committal couple to unconditional lovers). He taught us lessons about life and love and happiness and, importantly, he taught us that we had actually known these things all along. He brought out the best in us, and we brought out the best in him. Those were glorious, tragic, funny, happy, and sad days, and I would trade all those yesterdays—all those years of yesterdays—for just one more today with him. That is how much we loved that dog. And how much we still miss him."

Find out more about the author, the book, and the dog here.

Ms. Lee Harrington and Sir Wallace Wagsalot.