Synopses & Reviews
After a close friend died of cancer, middle-aged, overweight, acrophobic newspaperman Tom Ryan decided to pay tribute to her in a most unorthodox manner. Ryan and his friend, miniature schnauzer Atticus M. Finch, would attempt to climb all forty-eight of New Hampshire's four thousand- foot peaks twice in one winter while raising money for charity. It was an adventure of a lifetime, leading them across hundreds of miles and deep into an enchanting but dangerous winter wonderland. At the heart of the amazing journey was the extraordinary relationship they shared, one that blurred the line between man and dog.
Following Atticus is an unforgettable true saga of adventure, friendship, and the unlikeliest of family, as one remarkable animal opens the eyes and heart of a tough-as-nails newspaperman to the world's beauty and its possibilities.
Review
“How can you go wrong with a cute little dog who braved the White Mountains highest peaks time and again…over the ice, snow and sometimes deadly uncertainty of wild winter altitude in New Hampshire? Far more than just a typical manandhisdog account…Ryan and Atticus have delivered on all counts.” Manchester Union Leader
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#2 New England Bestseller List NEIBA
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“Heartwarming, surprisingly suspenseful. . . . Part adventure story, part memoir, but most important, a love story . . . [an] entertaining and joyous book.” Publishers Weekly
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“Need your faith in humanity restored? Read this book. Its lovely to learn about our higher selves from an unlikely source like Atticus M. Finch.” The Day (Connecticut)
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“Exceptionally evocative writing and [an] engaging story . . . this is a book that can be read more than once. Inspirational and heart-warming.” Library Journal
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“Lyrical. . . . rivetingly portrayed . . . [a] touching chronicle.” Kirkus Reviews
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“Not your standard mountain adventure book. . . . Reading Following Atticus can feel like taking a long walk, or a series of walks, with a great storyteller. Why ‘follow Atticus? Because, [Ryan says], ‘Dogs, like mountains, bring you back to yourself.” AMC Outdoors
Review
“Ryan . . . is an engaging storyteller whose humorous, self-deprecating descriptions evoke Bill Brysons A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering American on the Appalachian Trail and John Steinbecks Travels with Charley: In Search of America.” Appalachia
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#5 Boston Globe bestseller Boston Globe
Synopsis
Deciding to pay tribute to a friend who died of cancer, during the winter of 2006-2007, Tom Ryan raises money for the Jimmy Fund and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute by setting out to climb all 48 of New Hampshire's 48 4,000-foot peaks twice in the 90 days of winter. What awaits Tom and his miniature schnauzer, Atticus, is the challenge of a lifetime. Following Atticus focuses on a remarkable relationship that blurs the line between two species and follows two friends for hundreds of miles in a rare test of endurance. However, their greatest challenge awaits them within a month of returning home, when Atticus loses his sight and blood tests point towards something worse-cancer.
Following Atticus is the heartfelt story of a man and a dog dedicating themselves to a quest greater than either has ever dreamed of. It's about a little dog capturing the hearts of thousands and a community coming together to support him during his darkest days; and ultimately it is a map that leads a man back to himself.
--The Day (Connecticut)
Synopsis
Set against the backdrop of New Hampshire's White Mountains, a man and a dog embark on the challenge of a lifetime in this true story of love, loss, and the resilience of the human and animal spirit.
After a close friend died of cancer, middle-aged, overweight, acrophobic newspaperman Tom Ryan decided to pay tribute to her in a most unorthodox manner. Ryan and his friend, miniature schnauzer Atticus M. Finch, would attempt to climb all forty-eight of New Hampshire's four-thousand-foot peaks twice in one winter while raising money for charity. It was an adventure of a lifetime, leading them across hundreds of miles and deep into an enchanting but dangerous winter wonderland. At the heart of the amazing journey was the extraordinary relationship they shared, one that blurred the line between man and dog.
Following Atticus is an unforgettable true saga of adventure, friendship, and the unlikeliest of family, as one remarkable animal opens the eyes and heart of a tough-as-nails newspaperman to the world's beauty and its possibilities.
Synopsis
New York Times BestsellerFollowing Atticus is the remarkable true story of a man and a dog embarking on the challenge of a lifetime. This is author Tom Ryans inspiring tale of how he and his miniature schnauzer companion, the “Little Buddha” Atticus M. Finch, attempted to scale all forty-eight of New Hampshires four thousand foot White Mountains twice in the dead of winter. It is a story of love, loss, and the resilience of the human and animal spirit thats as thrilling as Into Thin Air and featuring the most endearing and unforgettable canine protagonist since Marley and Me.
About the Author
Tom Ryan is the founder of the Newburyport, Massachusetts, newspaper the Undertoad and served as its publisher and editor for more than a decade. In 2007 he moved to the White Mountains of New Hampshire with miniature schnauzer Atticus M. Finch. Over the last five years, Tom and Atticus have climbed more than 450 four-thousand-foot peaks. After raising thousands of dollars for Angell Animal Medical Center in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, the pair was inducted into the Massachusetts Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Hall of Fame. Tom currently writes the popular The Adventures of Tom & Atticus column in the Northcountry News and Mountainside Guide, and the blog The Adventures of Tom & Atticus. Tom and Atticus live in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.