In the Shadow of Mercury: a Memoir of Mid-life and Dogs

In the Shadow of Mercury, a Memoir of Mid-Life and Dogs explores how one woman's search for identity in middle age brought her into the show ring at Madison Square Garden. After trying and discarding a series of possible careers, the author settles in with a Schipperke she names Mercury. On the advice of some friends, she then attempts to show him. This book traces her missteps as she tries to learn the ins and outs of the purebred dog world. Meanwhile, her marriage slumps towards indifference. And the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show approaches. What happens with Mercury and the subsequent dogs in the author's life makes this memoir of mid-life a lively and touching read for dog lovers and anybody else interested in a good story that happens to be true.