With a new month, comes a new book! My June Book Club pick is called Finding Gobi, by Dion Leonard. It’s a true story about a ultra marathon runner and a tenacious little terrier.
Leonard had traveled to China to compete in a 150 mile race that took him across the Gobi Desert. He was a highly trained, highly motivated runner intent on winning. When the raggedy mutt first approached him in camp, his thought was, “Clever dog, there’s no way I’d feed it.” But much to his surprise, that clever dog was by his side the next morning as the day of running got underway, and asleep next to him the same night.
By the end of the second day, it had a name; Gobi. And guess who was feeding her?
Gobi kept pace with Leonard through some of the most difficult terrain of the race, and Leonard felt not only his resolve about feeding her melt away, but his heart changing as well. The race ended, not the way Leonard had thought it would, but a grand success by his measure, and he set a plan he had created, to get Gobi out of China and back to the UK with him, in place.
Sadly, something went terribly amiss, and while in the hands of a caregiver, Gobi went missing. Back in the UK, Leonard was a wreck, thinking of Gobi lost and possibly hurt, and could blame only himself. Before long he was on a plane headed back to China to take on the impossible task of Finding Gobi.
This is a book that will appeal to all dog lovers, animal lovers, runners, and anyone who likes a great story!
It’s so good in fact, the movie rights have already been purchased! Finding Gobi will be available on June 13, but you may pre-purchase by following this Thomas Nelson link.
Watch the trailer for a TV documentary that's been made about Dion and Gobi: