Synopses & Reviews
The thrilling and inspiring story of a U.S. Marine and his dog Rex, a bomb sniffing German Shepard, who forged a bond of trust and loyalty while serving on the war-torn streets of Iraq’s most dangerous city.Deployed to Iraq’s infamous Triangle of Death in 2004, Sergeant Mike Dowling and his military working dog Rex were part of the first Marine Corps military K9 teams sent to the front lines of combat since Vietnam. It was Rex’s job to sniff out weapons caches, suicide bombers, and IEDs, the devastating explosives that wreaked havoc on troops and civilians alike. It was Mike’s job to lead Rex into the heart of danger time and time again, always trusting Rex to bring them both back alive.
Filled with harrowing tales of knife-edge bomb-detection work, including an extraordinary baptism by fire, Sergeant Rex is a heart-pounding account of how an unbreakable human-canine bond helped Mike and Rex to stay focused on their mission and save countless lives. Dowling takes us into the searing 130-degree heat, the choking dust, and the ever-present threat of violent attack that seemed to permeate Iraq’s streets. We experience Dowling’s visceral fear of walking down an IED-laden alley where dismemberment or death can come with any footstep, with only his trusted partner, Rex, by his side.
A moving story of how a man and a dog developed complete trust in each other in the face of terrible adversity, Sergeant Rex is an unforgettable tale of sacrifice, courage, and love.
Review
“This is a truly heartwarming and moving story.” —
Hollywood Reporter
“Packed with colorful characters and dramatic incidents, Sergeant Rex is a moving story of true grit cast seamlessly amidst tough realism, rich, insightful detail and mutual respect.” —Seattle Kennel Club
Review
“A first-rate buddy story from the front lines of the Iraq war.”
--Shelf Awareness
Review
"The best kind of nonfiction -- an impossible-to-put-down true life story."
--San Francisco Chronicle
Review
“Briskly written. . . a moving portrait of a relationship between battle buddies that transcends gender and species.”
-- Washington Post
Synopsis
Called and#8220;a deeply affecting tale of courage and devotion in the cauldron of warand#8221; by andlt;Iandgt;Publishers Weekly, andlt;/Iandgt;Sergeant Mike Dowlingand#8217;s heart-pounding account of an unbreakable bond between man and dog takes us into the searing 130-degree heat, the choking dust, and the ever-present threat of violent attack in Iraqand#8217;s infamous Triangle of Death. In 2004, Dowling and his military working dog Rex were part of the first Marine Corps military K9 teams sent to the front lines of combat since Vietnam. It was Rexand#8217;s job to sniff out weapons caches, suicide bombers, and IEDs, the devastating explosives that wreaked havoc on troops and civilians. It was Mikeand#8217;s job to lead Rex into the heart of danger. An extraordinary chronicle of loyalty in the face of terrible adversity, andlt;Iandgt;Sergeant Rex andlt;/Iandgt;is an unforgettable story of sacrifice, courage, and love.
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;Mike Dowling andlt;/bandgt;enlisted with the U.S. Marine Corps in 2001. He was awarded the Navy andamp; Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his Iraq operations with his dog, Rex. Dowling currently lives in Los Angeles, where he serves on the advisory board of two wounded-warrior nonprofit organizations. Damien Lewis is a lifelong dog lover and award-winning writer who has spent twenty years reporting from war, disaster, and conflict zones for the BBC and other global news organizations. He is the bestselling author of more than twenty books, including several acclaimed memoirs about military working dogsandlt;iandgt;andmdash;Sergeant Rex, andlt;/iandgt;andlt;iandgt;Itandrsquo;s All About Treoandlt;/iandgt;, andlt;iandgt;Judy, andlt;/iandgt;and andlt;iandgt;The Dog Who Could Fly.andlt;/iandgt;