“Road Dogs is terrific, and Elmore Leonard is in a class of one.” —Dennis Lehane, author of Shutter Island and Mystic River “You know from the first sentence that you’re in the hands of the original Daddy Cool....This one’ll kill you.” —Stephen King Elmore Leonard is eternal. In Road Dogs, the PEN USA Lifetime Achievement Award winner and “America’s greatest crime master” (Newsweek) brings back three of his favorite characters—Jack Foley from Out of Sight, Cundo Rey from La Brava, and Dawn Navarro from Riding the Rap—for a twisting, explosive, always surprising masterwork of crime fiction the San Francisco Chronicle calls, “a sly, violent, funny and superbly written story of friendship, greed, and betrayal.”

Using ethnographic interviews, an affiliation scale, and observational data from two "soup kitchens" of homeless men, Road Dogs and Loners investigates the various family types that homeless road dogs and loners rely on for support. Pippert specifically compares homeless men who typically partnered up with homeless men who were self-described loners. The groups are compared here in terms of their contact and support with biological, created, and fictive families. Interdisciplinary in nature, this work tackles themes that are relevant to the study of social class, stratification, economics, social problems, family sociology, social theory and research methods. Road Dogs and Loners provides an updated and in-depth, personal perspective on the lives and relationships of homeless men in America.

"I went on a journey in order to acquaint myself with my province, in a two-horse wagon with a lot of fodder and a tin bucket rattling in the back. The bucket was required for the horses to drink from. I traveled through a country of hills and pine groves that gave way to woodlands, where swirls of smoke hovered over the roofs of houses, as if they were on fire, for they were chimneyless cabins; I crossed districts of fields and lakes. It was so interesting to be moving, to give the horses their rein, and wait until, in the next valley, a village slowly appeared, or a park with the white spot of a manor in it. And always we were barked at by a dog, assiduous in its duty. That was the beginning of the century; this is its . I have been thinking not only of the people who lived there once but also of the generations of dogs accompanying them in their everyday bustle, and one night-I don't know where it came from-in a pre-dawn sleep, that funny and tender phrase composed itself: a road-side dog." --Road-Side Dog

"Peter Zheutlin has written a lovely, moving, important book about a subject that is both heartbreaking and joyful." - Dean Koontz How far would you go to save a life? This is the extraordinary story of one man who has driven more than 1 million miles to rescue thousands of dogs from hunger, abuse and neglect and give them a second chance at life and love. For years, Greg Mahle struggled to keep the last of his family-run restaurants afloat in Ohio. When it finally closed, he was broke and unsure what to do next. Then a stranded van-load of puppies changed his life forever. Join journalist Peter Zheutlin as he travels with Greg from Ohio to the Gulf Coast on his Rescue Road Trips to bring hard-luck dogs from the deep South to loving "forever families" up north looking to adopt a pet, with the help of many selfless volunteers along the way. From Houston's impoverished Fifth Ward--where thousands of strays roam the streets--and high-kill animal shelters in Louisiana, to joyous scenes of adopters embracing their new pups in the Northeast, Rescue Road is full of heart: an inspiring story about the unique bond between dogs and humans, and how going the extra mile can make a life-changing difference for these loyal canines-and for us all. A heartwarming, awe-inspiring story of how one man can impact so many lives, human and puppy alike. Fans of Marley and Me, Oogy: The Dog Only A Family Could Love, and You Had Me At Woof will be inspired and touched by this story. What readers are saying about Rescue Road: "I stand in awe of those who can do this kind of rescue work, for their persistence, compassion and willingness to get dirty in the service of animals." "a heartwarming & eye opening journey into the world of dog rescue." "I highly recommend this book if you are looking to restore your faith in humanity." "a heart-warming story that reaffirms there are many compassionate people who work tirelessly to save dogs." What reviewers are saying about Rescue Road: "An unabashedly sentimental and affecting portrait of a modern-day animal-loving hero." - Kirkus "a canine caravan with heart and soul..." - Teresa Rhyne, author of the #1 NYT bestseller The Dog Lived (And So Will I) "Heartwarming doesn't suffice to describe it... restores faith in humanity." - Alexandra Horowitz, author of Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know "A tender, inspiring homage..." - Matthew Gilbert, author of Off the Leash: A Year at the Dog Park "Inspiring and riveting new book...a must-read..." - The Bark

A science experiment gone horribly awry has granted Max, Rocky, and Gizmo the unique ability to read and understand human words. Armed with this know-how, they continue to journey south, on the lookout for beacons planted by a trusted friend's owner -- beacons that promise to lead the trio to their people. When the companions reach the ocean's edge, they find a free-spirited beachfront community. Reunited with long-lost friends (and introduced to a new delicacy -- cat kibble), Max, Rocky, and Gizmo gain the motivation they need to keep going. But danger lies ahead. . . . As their travels take them deep into the spooky swampland, can they discover what's driven the humans away? Or have they finally reached the end of the long road? The Last Dogs: The Long Road is the third book in a thrilling series about three unlikely friends on an epic quest to find their people -- and bring them home.

1996 Minnesota Book Award winner — A Native American book The heart of the Native American experience: In this 1996 Minnesota Book Award winner, Kent Nerburn draws the reader deep into the world of an Indian elder known only as Dan. It’s a world of Indian towns, white roadside cafes, and abandoned roads that swirl with the memories of the Ghost Dance and Sitting Bull. Readers meet vivid characters like Jumbo, a 400-pound mechanic, and Annie, an 80-year-old Lakota woman living in a log cabin. Threading through the book is the story of two men struggling to find a common voice. Neither Wolf nor Dog takes readers to the heart of the Native American experience. As the story unfolds, Dan speaks eloquently on the difference between land and property, the power of silence, and the selling of sacred ceremonies. This edition features a new introduction by the author, Kent Nerburn. “This is a sobering, humbling, cleansing, loving book, one that every American should read.” — Yoga Journal If you enjoyed Empire of the Summer Moon, Heart Berries, or You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, you’ll love owning and reading Neither Wolf nor Dog by Kent Nerburn.

State troopers face a different world of law enforcement than most other police. Though far removed from the inner-city beat-cop, they face the same dangers. The great expanses of farm lands and forests and the hundreds of miles of interstate highways are the territories they patrol. They are the lonely gray sentinels protecting the never-ending countryside, where often your only companion is your own conscience, back-up is an hour away, and the unwritten rule is that whatever you stick your nose in, youad better be able to handle it alone. Road Dogs takes you on patrol with the men who accept the risks every day. Through their daily encounters youall learn their way. From the humorous to the tragic, itas a harsh study of the dedication and emotion of the career patrolmen that will change your opinion of those wearing the big hat.

Legendary New York Times bestselling author Elmore Leonard returns with three of his favorite characters: Jack Foley from Out of Sight, Cundo Rey from LaBrava, and Dawn Navarro from Riding the Rap. Fresh out of prison, Foley hooks up with Dawn Navarro, the common-law wife of Foley's extremely wealthy friend, Cundo Rey, in a plan to relieve Cundo of his fortune. What's "trust" among friends when money is involved?

As the incidence of violent crime rises in the United States, so does the public demand for a solution. But what will work? Mark S. Fleisher has spent years among inmates in jails and prisons and on the streets with thieves, gang members, addicts, and life-long criminals in Seattle and other cities across the country. In Beggars and Thieves, he writes about how and why they become and remain offenders, and about the actual role of jails and prisons in efforts to deter crime and rehabilitate criminals. Fleisher shows, with wrenching firsthand accounts, that parents who are addicts, abusers, and criminals beget irreversibly damaged children who become addicts, abusers, and criminals. Further, Fleisher contends that many well-intentioned educational and vocational training programs are wasted because they are offered too late to help. And, he provides sobering evidence that many youthful and adult offenders find themselves better off in prison—with work to do, medical care, a clean place to sleep, regular meals, and stable social ties—than they are in America’s cities. Fleisher calls for anti-crime policies that are bold, practical, and absolutely imperative. He prescribes life terms for violent offenders, but in prisons structured as work communities, where privileges are earned through work in expanded, productive industries that reduce the financial burden of incarceration on the public. But most important, he argues that the only way to prevent street crime, cut prison growth, and reduce the waste of money and human lives is to permanently remove brutalized children from criminal, addicted, and violent parents.