AN ODE TO DOGS AND FAMILY: A poignant memoir of loving, and being loved by, 38 Dalmatians—from an acclaimed memoirist and the daughter of poet Anne Sexton. “A delight . . . a book of wisdom for all those who love dogs and people.” —Erica Jong, author of Fear of Flying The Sexton family’s long love affair with the Dalmatian began in Linda’s childhood. On a snowy morning in the family home just outside Boston, Linda heard a whimpering coming from the basement. She discovered their first family dog giving birth to a litter. Her mother, renowned poet Anne Sexton, used the experience to complete the poem “Live”—part of her third poetry collection, which would be awarded a Pulitzer Prize. For Linda, the boundless joy of both breed and breeding triggered in her a lifelong love of Dalmatians. All told, 38 Dalmatians will move through her life: the ones that cheer and support her through difficulty, divorce, and depression; the ones that stay with her as she enters the world of professional breeding and showing of Dals; and, of course, the one true dog of her heart, Gulliver, her most stalwart of canine champions. Bespotted is a page–turning and compelling look at the unique place dogs occupy in our lives. It captures another piece of this literary family’s history, taps into the curious and fascinating world of dog showing/dog fancy.
