Walking my Dog, Jane by Ned Rozell

 MORE FROM THE ROZELL FAMILY OF AUTHORS!

Note from Matthew Rozell

This title is actually not in the World War II series, nor is it by me. Readers looking for my newest book might want to read this while waiting... it's a good book by one of my brothers.

All of my brothers and sisters are writers. Middle child Ned (I'm the oldest of five) was the first to have a work published, in 1997. Then the publishing house went belly up; after a while, he got his rights back and we can offer it now. Here is an adventure travelogue that intersperses history and the characters he met along the way of his four month, 800-mile trek across our last frontier.

I'm offering it here because I think people who like my books will also like this one.

You can also visit my youngest brother Drew's bookstore page here and see what he has to offer.

In the late 1970s, workers laid a pile of gravel over the length of Alaska. This was the service road for the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline, from the oil fields at Prudhoe Bay to the ice-free saltwater port of Valdez. A few decades later, Ned Rozell decided this gravel road was the perfect place to walk his Labrador retriever. This is his story of a walk across Alaska.

5x8 format. 356 PAGES

About the author

Ned Rozell has walked, skied, driven, and flown across Alaska, and he's lived there more than half his life, so it must be home. He's written more than 800 weekly newspaper columns about natural history and science, and has written 80 more for Alaska Magazine. He has five Alaska-related books and counting; Walking my Dog, Jane, is about that hike across Alaska with a dog that won't come along again. 

REVIEWS:

"Walking My Dog, Jane By Ned Rozell
Rozell, an easygoing resident of Fairbanks, Alaska, who tried to quit his job in the summer of 1997 to take his dog for a walk. His dream was to walk across Alaska by following the famous pipeline with Jane, the chocolate Labrador who had seen him through "three pick-up trucks and seven girlfriends." His boss at the University of Alaska's Geophysical Institute wouldn't let him quit, as it turned out, so he stuck a small tape recorder and a palmtop computer into his backpack and continued to write his column for the "Alaska Science Forum" along the way, sending in reports whenever he found a telephone to transmit through.
The best of Rozell's insights and observations are woven into this work of creative non-fiction, including illuminations on the history of the pipeline; its place in the Alaskan landscape and economy; the mosquitoes, bears, and other companions who join him along the way; and the unusual people who choose to live in the semi-civilized Alaskan outback. Rozell also takes time to muse on being alone, making commitments, managing addictions, and a few other things that affect us all. A gentle, thought-provoking first book with something to interest almost everyone."

"Ned tells a wonderful story of the land and the history of the places he walks, interspersed with the adventure of crossing the largest state in the nation, and funny dog stories courtesy of his traveling companion, a chocolate Labrador Jane. As they traverse three mountain ranges and over 800 water crossings, Ned learns things about himself and his surroundings that he never expected. If you ever dreamed of traveling to Alaska, or if you have a dog that insists on walking you every day, you'll enjoy this adventure/history/travel story as much as I did."

"I really enjoyed this book and purchased it after reading Ned's online journal of his trek through the Alaskan wilderness. I too could not put it down and have ordered a few copies to give to people as gifts. There really is something in this for everyone, from young to old and not only do you get an honest glimpse into the author's life, but also a look at the lives of the people that he meets along the way."

"Having visited Alaska this summer, traveling from Fairbanks to the pipeline, I found the people to be intriguing, very different. This author really helps the reader understand what goes through the mind of someone who truly loves this wilderness called Alaska. The author's journey is one of self-exploration aside from exploring just the terrain. It's a pleasure to read, and it helps explain the makeup of people who find that wilderness inspiring and nurturing."

"If you are a dog lover who enjoys adventure and the outdoors, then "Walking My Dog, Jane: From Valdez to Prudhoe Bay Along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline" is a must read.
This was a book that I could not put down, I was always curious what adventure Ned Rozell and Jane (his chocolate lab) would encounter next. My curiosity was heightened by Rozell's brilliant writing style, in which he makes you feel as though you are hiking along the pipeline with him and Jane. Who would they meet? What act of kindness would the next stranger offer? What would they see? What would be the history of pipeline mile 647?
Finally, this book is about a man who made a dream become reality, and it was this new sense of reality that made his life become a dream!"