Synopses & Reviews
OFF THE LEASH is a group portrait of dog people, specifically the strange, wonderful, neurotic, and eccentric dog people who gather at Amory Park, overlooking Boston near Fenway Park. And its about author Matthew Gilberts transformation, after much fear and loathing of dogs and social groups, into one of those dog people with fur on their jackets, squeaky toys in their hands, and biscuits in their pockets.
Gilbert, longtime TV critic at The Boston Globe, describes his reluctant trip into the dog park subculture, as the first-time owner of a stubbornly social Yellow Lab puppy named Toby. Like many Americans, he was happily accustomed to the safe distance of TV viewing and cell-phone web surfing, tethered to the digital leash. But the headstrong, play-obsessed Toby pulls him to Amory, and Amory becomes an exhilarating dose of presence for him. The joyous chaos of wrestling dogs and the parks cast of offbeat dog owners - the “pack of freaks” - gradually draw him into the here and now. At the dog park, the dog owners go off the leash, too.
Dog-park life can be tense. When dogs fight, their owners - such as the reckless Charlotte - bare their teeth at each other, too. Amid the rollicking dog play, feelings tend to surface faster, unedited. But Gilbert shows how Amory is an idyllic microcosm, too, the home of enduring friendships and, as the droll but vulnerable Hayley knows, romantic crushes. Meeting daily, a gathering of dog owners can be like group therapy, or The Office, or a standup concert.
As a TV critic, Matthew Gilbert is well-known by his readership for his humorous and wry writing style. A charming narrative that will appeal to anyone who has ever enjoyed watching a puppy scamper through a park, OFF THE LEASH is a paean to dog lovers and their pets everywhere, perfect for fans of Marley & Me and Merle's Door.
Review
Praise for Off the Leash “Dog enthusiasts will flock to this entertaining account of an unlikely canine lovers ascent into full-fledged member of the neighborhood dog park…. Any dog owner who has ever steeped foot in the local dog park will recognize these types, and Gilbert is an adept storyteller, adding just enough intrigue…to keep the pages turning.”
- Publishers Weekly
“As the TV critic for the Boston Globe, Gilbert has a fine nose for observing, reporting, and navigating this territory. And in this, his first book, he has created a witty and memorable read that will delight and enthrall off-leash readers everywhere.
- The Bark
Synopsis
OFF THE LEASH is about the strange, wonderful, neurotic, and eccentric dog people who gather daily at Amory Park, overlooking Boston. And its about Matthew Gilberts transformation from dedicated homebody to joyful member of the dog park club: an oddball group of dog people with fur on their jackets and biscuits in their pockets. Gilbert, the TV critic at the Boston Globe, describes his reluctant journey into the park subculture, as the first-time dog owner of a yellow lab named Toby. Like so many Americans right now, he has been steeped in the virtual, digital world. At the park, though, amid the chaotic energy of dogs and people gathered in packs, he is unprotected by the screen and forced to let go. The dogs go off-leash, and so do the people.
There is something eternal and deeply satisfying about both the group experience at the park and the simple pleasure of playing fetch with ones canine companion in a large, green, open space. A charmingly written narrative that will appeal to anyone who has ever enjoyed watching a puppy scamper through a park, OFF THE LEASH is a paean to dog lovers and their pets everywhere.
About the Author
MATTHEW GILBERT is the TV critic at the Boston Globe and Boston.com, and his work has appeared on Slate.com. He is a regular radio guest on Massachusetts WCRP and WBZ and has also appeared on NPR. He currently films a weekly show called “We Like to Watch” that airs on Boston.com. He has also guest lectured at Tufts, Brandeis, Boston University, Emerson, and Harvard, and led a seminar on Television and Self at UMass Boston.