Author Series | Tommy Tomlinson | Dogland

Pulitzer Prize finalist and author, Tommy Tomlinson, was watching a dog show on television a few years ago when he had a sudden thought: Are those dogs happy? How about pet dogs-are they happy? Those questions sparked a quest in search of a deeper understanding of the relationship between dogs and humans that has endured for thousands of years.
Like a real-life version of the classic mockumentary Best in Show, Dogland follows one champion show dog-a Samoyed named Striker-as well as his handler, Laura King, and his devoted entourage of breeders and owners as he competes in the 2022 Westminster Dog Show. Readers will also discover the fascinating origins of different dog breeds, learn about the elaborate breed standards that determine an ideal show dog, and consider the health issues that can arise in purebred dogs. Engaging, charming, and insightful, Dogland is an irresistibly appealing read that invites us on a rollicking backstage tour through the rituals, tricks, and wonders of the dog-show world-and reveals what matters most for the happiness of dogs and dog lovers everywhere.
Tommy Tomlinson is the author of The Elephant in the Room, a memoir about being overweight in America. He’s the host of the podcast SouthBound in partnership with WFAE, Charlotte’s NPR station. He has written for publications including Esquire, ESPN the Magazine, Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Garden & Gun, and many others. He spent twenty-three years as a reporter and local columnist for the Charlotte Observer, where he was a finalist for the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in commentary. His stories have been chosen twice for the Best American Sports Writing series (2012 and 2015) and he also appears in the anthology America’s Best Newspaper Writing. He teaches magazine writing at Wake Forest University and has taught at colleges, workshops, and conferences across the country. He also has a Substack called The Writing Shed.