Stephens coyly admits he has routinely done everything from laundry in his clients’ homes to napping, showering, hosting book clubs and, yes, having a lot of sex...Approaching 40, Stephens has aged out of the full-time dog-walking game, but he has retained a youthfulness in his expressions of rage against capitalism, racism and inequality in all its forms...Ultimately, in his view, we’re all animals trying to get by and find as much comfort in a cold world as we can. And he’s more than willing to hump in your bed to make that point.”—Maclean's
“Documenting a trade that falls somewhere between bike messenger and nanny, Joshua Stephens explores politics and power, equality and class, the essential rhythms of walking city streets, the meaning of work, and the depth of connection available to us if we choose to take part. Part warmth and wag, part snarl, The Dog Walker is sharp, fast, and above all, human.”
—Nina MacLaughlin, author of Hammer Head: The Making of a Carpenter
“Joshua Stephens spent years walking dogs, but more to the point: he spent years looking at the world around him. I am grateful he did, because his observations about how we conduct our daily lives are deeply insightful. Be careful with this book: below the surface, it boils with political fervor and social commentary too often left out of our public discourse.”
—DW Gibson, author of The Edge Becomes the Center: An Oral History of Gentrification in the Twenty-First Century
“The Dog Walker takes you gently by the hand, artfully guiding you on a captivating journey that appears to be good fun, which it certainly is. But don’t miss the forest for the trees. Take your time strolling. This tale is not so much about pups, poop, or the people who are paid to tend to both—though you’ll find that, too. It’s about what makes us most human, most humane: the politicized, lived practice of empathy. A pure treat, with heart!”
—Cindy Milstein, author of Anarchism and Its Aspirations
“With a raconteur’s skill, an anarchist’s heart, and a biting wit, Joshua Stephens regales us with tales of punk bohemia, social issues street philosophy, and dog walking. A hilarious, thoughtful, and engaging slice of life just under our noses—dogs and all.”
—Scott Crow, author of Black Flags and Windmills
“A thoughtful, odd, amusing (albeit occasionally precious) fusion of memoir, career guide, and anarchist screed with built-in appeal for snake people.”—Kirkus Reviews
2015-09-06
A snarky idealist's journey to maturity through pet care. In his debut, Stephens fuses urban history, social theory, and personal narrative with a wry overview of the ubiquitous phenomenon of dog-walking. He argues that dog walkers represent "features of urban (and, more and more, suburban) life. Conspicuous consumption. The quaint priorities of aging Gen-Xers who have begun to hire millenials." Stephens seems an appropriate ambassador for this archetypical slacker's profession: a hyperrebellious Navy brat, he became a self-identified anarchist during the first Iraq war, questioning dominant narratives and enjoying shock appeal, qualities which inform the prose here. Stephens transitioned naturally into the profession following a string of radical adventures, including time with the Zapatistas in Mexico and a protest-related federal conviction. "My life," he writes, "was a headlong dive into coupling moral outrage with punk rock irreverence." Having moved to Washington, D.C., for its leftist punk scene (Stephens acutely portrays the city's social striations), he found himself traipsing through the homes of governmental officials and other high achievers, spending time with their pampered pooches. The book is casually structured, with some chapters tying in the ideas of radical theorists and others providing irreverent looks at the trade, ranging from the pet care industry's shady finances and hiring practices to the messy realities of time spent with dogs. "Yes," he writes. "Dog walkers deal with shit…this preoccupies everyone but the dog walkers doing it." Stephens, who retired after founding a successful dog-walking cooperative, argues that dog-walking is the ideal occupation for both avoiding the 9-to-5 grind and developing a philosophical view of the world: "Walking confers real time for asking questions, in a manner most activities do not." He constantly examines his encounters through an anarchist lens of social consciousness, noting that the responsibility with which the wealthy entrust their dog-walkers "is highly mediated by race and class." A thoughtful, odd, amusing (albeit occasionally precious) fusion of memoir, career guide, and anarchist screed with built-in appeal for millennials.
