THE BOOK FAIR

Beautifully written, articulate and descriptive, the true story relates the amazing tale of a little, stray dog who latches on to a long distance runner during a visiting competition race, in China.  Dion Leonard, an Australian by birth, competed in several international long distance races.  The race which changed his life, the one in which Gobi found him was held in the Tian Shan mountain ranges of central China.   Leonard describes the amazing experience of finding Gobi and of his plans to bring her to Scotland, where he resides with his wife.  He reveals how he lost Gobi, the initiative to find her, and the several times he returned to China, in which he depicts his experiences in detail.  He includes the many individuals who cared for and helped him search for Gobi and, he also mentions the monitoring he experienced by the strong hand of the Chinese government who watched his every move for criticism of China.

The story also entails memories from Leonard’s childhood and personal struggles as well as tales of his adventures in competitions in different countries, and the strength and support given him by his wife, a fellow long distance runner.  Sensitively written, Leonard frequently addresses the compassion, and unexpected monetary generosity from strangers, who reached out to rescue an unknown dog, and the sportsman who loved her.

Excellent!  Recommended.