Soft launch

Easing into DOGLAND events, plus my weekly shareables: Musical washing machines, ghost dogs, and a tribute to the Frogman

I’m writing to you from windy and beautiful Asheville, where I’m one of the featured authors this weekend at Zibby Owens’ book retreat. I have to tell a quick story: Not long after I got here Friday afternoon, I met a couple named Tom and Melisa from Ohio. Tom signed them up for the retreat after reading about it in The Writing Shed. He subscribes to The Writing Shed because my brilliant friend Joe Posnanski mentioned me in HIS newsletter. It turns out Tom, like Joe, is a Cleveland Browns fan. Melisa is a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. That is like a Hatfield being married to a McCoy, but somehow they make it work.

What I’m telling you is that I spent most of the first hour of this book retreat talking about AFC North football. It was awesome.

I’ve done a bunch of interviews about DOGLAND already, mostly for podcasts that haven’t aired yet, but this weekend is the first time I’m talking about the book in front of a live audience. It’s a private event, so I’m thinking of it as a dress rehearsal for the upcoming book tour. Speaking of which, here’s a nifty graphic! In the old days, they used to suggest that you clip ‘n’ save this sort of thing. Maybe now you screenshot ‘n’ save.

And there’s already an update! I just found out that the Davidson event, which is sponsored by Main Street Books, is not actually going to be at Main Street Books. It’ll be at a place called the Hurt Hub, which sounds like some sort of Crossfit torture gym but is instead a Davidson College campus building dedicated to entrepreneurship. That event starts at 7 p.m. and I’ll be in conversation with the great Michael Kruse of POLITICO.

I hope that if you’re anywhere near those cities on those dates that you come out and see me. My favorite part of any event is the Q&A—I always leave plenty of time for questions, and I’ll hang around as long as I can after the event if you didn’t get a chance during the designated time.

And yes, I want to see a picture of your dog.

I can already tell from talking to people here at Zibby’s retreat that folks are getting excited about DOGLAND. I am hopping up and down like a small child inside, I’m so excited for y’all to read it. I went to the clothing store the other day and bought three new shirts and four pairs of socks for the tour. My wife will tell you that this is a rare event.

There’s still time to preorder, but if you want a book signed and inscribed by me and shipped to you in time to make the pub date (April 23), better act fast.

One more thing: Frank Bruni of the New York Times wrote some very kind words about DOGLAND in his most recent newsletter.

You should read the whole newsletter—Frank fills every edition with a smart essay, excellent links and a list of his favorite sentences of the week.

---

---

10 things I wanted to share this week:

1. This week’s episode of SOUTHBOUND was the live recording of our second panel discussion on the future of Charlotte. A lot of talk about affordable housing … also a lot of talk about what our city can learn from its history. Worthwhile even if you don’t live here.

2. My weekly for WFAE posed an important question: Is South Carolina real?

3. Charlie Warzel on how our devices increasingly intrude into our lives: “If HP can disable my printer, if Roku can shut off my television, if Tesla can change the life of my car battery remotely, are the devices I own really mine?” (The Atlantic)

4. The final days of Boston Market. I used to really like that place … I could convince myself it was healthy, at least compared to fast food. I’m not sure the creamed spinach would agree. (Washington Post)

5. DOG NEWS: From now until DOGLAND comes out, I’m devoting this slot to dog stories. This week: The doghouse designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. (Letters of Note)

6. BONUS DOG NEWS: Ghost dogs are (probably) not real. But believing in them might help people who lose dogs deal with their grief. (Psychology Today)

7. I stayed at the New Yorker Hotel when I covered my first Westminster in 2020. It turns out one of my fellow guests was a guy named Mickey Barreto, who finessed New York City housing laws to the extent that he paid for one night and stayed for FIVE YEARS. But now his scheme might be over. (NYT)

8. We bought a new LG washer and dryer recently, and when they finish a cycle, they don’t beep or buzz—they play what sounds to me like an old sea shanty. What the hell is that? It turns out a lot of folks were already on the case. (House Beautiful)

9. Happy 40th birthday to my favorite R.E.M. record, RECKONING, which was recorded at Reflection Studios in Charlotte, about a mile down the street from our house. It’s an apartment complex now. Here’s “(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville.”
   

10. RIP Clarence “Frogman” Henry, who created one of the strangest one-offs in history: 1956’s “Ain’t Got No Home.” He sings like a girl, he sings like a frog, and does it all over a lethal New Orleans groove. I never get tired of it.
    

    
    

    Have a great week, everybody.