To Dance with the White Dog [Hardcover]

Terry Kay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1990

TO DANCE WITH THE WHITE DOG is Terry Kay's stunning fourth novel, a moving story about an old man's final rite of passage, about family ties and the universal experience of grieving for a lost love. At the heart of the book is a mysterious white dog that appears after Sam Peek's beloved wife has died, and that remains with him until just before his own death. Stray dog or ghost dog? To Sam Peek, the dog is a guardian angel who brings to him the healing power of comfort.

TO DANCE WITH THE WHITE DOG was made into a CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, starring Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn. When it aired on 3 December 1993 it was the highest rated television movie of the season. In 1991, Terry Kay was named Outstanding Author of the Year by the Southeastern Library Association for WHITE DOG, and the book was nominated for the American Booksellers Book of the Year in 1992.

Editorial Reviews

Review

". . . deftly shaped and vivid book . . . a tender and bracing tale of an octogenarian fighting to live a connected and purposeful life." -- The New York Times

Review

New York Times bestselling author Pat ConroyTerry Kay is a perfect writer for those who love to read. His prose contains music and passion and fire. His work is tender and heartbreaking and memorable.

Anne Rivers SiddonsTo Dance with the White Dog is what literature is -- or should be -- all about....Kay is simply a miraculous writer....This book...burns with life.

The Most Reverend Desmond M. TutuA hauntingly beautiful story about love, family, and relationships.

Los Angeles TimesThis short book moves like poetry....A loving eulogy to old age....A tender celebration of life, made poignant by death being so close at hand. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 239 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers; First Edition edition (October 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561450022
• ISBN-13: 978-1561450022
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #818,544 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Doggone phenomenal story!, July 24, 2003

By 

Carole Imes (Winter Springs, Florida USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: To Dance With the White Dog (Paperback)

I recently attended a writers conference in Athens, GA where Terry Kay was one of the speakers at an all day session. I had seen the Hallmark series production of Kay's "To Dance With the White Dog" when it was on TV in the early '90s and remember being very inspired by the story; however, I never read the book. I purchased an autographed copy at the conference and dug right into it on the long ride home. I'm so happy that I had the chance to be re-introduced to this tender story. As well as being inspirational, this is one of the best character-driven novels I've ever read. Based on the author's own parents and set in the deep South, it tells of an old man who has recently lost his wife, leaving him to feel very much alone and lost. A white dog appears shortly after her death, almost as if by magic! Strangely, the dog makes its appearance only when the old man is present. Thus when he mentions it to his married daughters and sons, they can't help but think their father is starting to get senile. One day when the man has a sudden attack and collapses, one of the daughters who lives in the neighborhood sees the dog in her father's yard, almost as if to alert that there's trouble inside. Then they know--the dog is real. But just the same, they continue to fuss and dote over their father, worrying about his every move. The author paints a remarkable and realistic picture of each character in the novel, and he'll have you laughing, crying and most of all wondering--who is the "White Dog" and where did she come from? I can't say enough good things about this heartwarming and tender story. Buy the book and see for yourself!

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars To Dance With the White Dog review, November 27, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: To Dance With the White Dog (Paperback)

The book that I read was To Dance With the White Dog by Terry Kay. It's a fiction, young-adult novel about an old man (Sam Peek) whose wife died of a heart attack and who now lives by himself. His children are constantly worried about him since he lives alone and there is no one to help him. But, one day, a mysterious white dog shows up at his porch door, a stray he assumes, and becomes his companion from then on. One strange thing about that dog though; she never shows herself in front of anyone except Sam. This book is pretty much about the rest of his life alone, and with his dog, White Dog. I really enjoyed this novel because it is unlike any I have ever read before. It is beautifully written and deep. Sam keeps reminiscing about his lost wife, the love he and her shared, and his youth. It's a very sad, yet beautiful book. "The reunion lunch was being served at Morgan County High School, and Martha Dunaway Kerr was persiding with dignity over the sparse gathering of old people, but he was glad he was not amoung them. If Cora had lived, if Cora had been with him, it would have mattered; without her, it did not." -page 156. This quote from the book is very powerful to me. It expresses Sam's deep sadness of his wife's death and how much he really misses her. However, this book might not be for everyone. It's a kind of depressing piece of literature; so some may not enjoy it as much.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A "must read" for those with aging fathers!, January 11, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: To Dance With the White Dog (Paperback)

My father loaned me his copy of To Dance with the White Dog and kept bugging me until I started reading it. Of course, once I started, I couldn't put it down. After finishing the book, I understood why he was so persistent. In a few more years, the main character in the book will be my father. I bought my own copy to read again to remind me when the time comes that my father is not a child and he doesn't need me to hover over him. Anyone with aging parents will benefit greatly from this book. I highly recommend it.