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Wallace: The Underdog Who Conquered a Sport, Saved a Marriage, and Championed Pit Bulls—One Flying Disc at a Time Audiobook
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(3.98) - 252 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Today, Wallace is a champion; but in the summer of 2005, he was living in a shelter, a refugee from a suspicious pit bull–breeding operation. Then Andrew "Roo" Yori entered the picture. A scientist and shelter volunteer, Roo could immediately see that Wallace was something special. While on his honeymoon, Roo learned that Wallace was about to be put down. Roo and his wife franticly fought to keep Wallace alive until they could return home to adopt him—even though they already had two dogs.
Once Wallace made it home, Roo knew the dog needed a mission, and serendipity led them to the world of competitive dog Frisbee. It seemed like a terrible idea; large and heavy with thick muscles that can make them look less than graceful, pit bulls are everything that most Frisbee dogs aren't. But that was fine with Roo—because part of his mission was to change people's minds about pit bulls. Overcoming everything from injuries to prejudice against the breed, the unlikely pair persevered to become world champions.
Movingly told by bestselling author Jim Gorant, Wallace will capture the hearts of animal lovers everywhere—and help rescue this popular breed's unfairly tarnished reputation.
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"This is a great story about a pit bull who was nearly put down at a no kill shelter because of his breed and his drive. They thought he was unadoptable, but luckily he was adopted by people who fostered him and they found Wallaces true calling--the frisbee or disc throwing world. Wallace was a true athlete, I loved reading his story. The only slow part of this book was the beginning which started out about people rather than beginning the story with Wallace the pit bull champion. If the author had borrowed more from the fiction world and started this story out with the action of the frisbee competitions I would have liked this book more. I still liked Wallace enough to give it 4 starts."
— Debra (4 out of 5 stars)
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“Compelling and surprisingly elegant…Gorant’s clear prose steers the reader through the little-known world of ‘disc dogs’…Gorant never lets the narrative slip into the saccharine, and Wallace’s story will charm even readers who never knew they were interested in pit bulls or disc dogs.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Having detailed the fate of Michael Vick's dogs in the heartrending and immaculately researched New York Times bestselling The Lost Dogs, Sports Illustrated senior editor Gorant describes the life story of another pit bull—Wallace, a rescue dog who went on to win or place impressively in dozens of local, national, and international doggie disc-catching competitions. The aim, though, was to clear up misunderstandings about the breed while letting Wallace have some fun.”
— Library Journal -
“Dog lovers will certainly enjoy the story of Wallace’s journey.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“Sean Runnette’s smooth and expressive narration makes this compelling story even more compelling. Anyone who loves a story of overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds—or loves dogs—will find this to be an engrossing and inspiring story…Runnette doesn’t voice individual characters, but he does bring the emotion in the story to life at all points. He expresses the struggles and joys of rescuing and training Wallace—and the exhilaration of competing.”
— Soundcommentary.com
Wallace Listener Reviews
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" Wonderful true story showing that pit bulls are not bad dogs. "
— Regina, 2/16/2014 -
" I thoroughly enjoyed this quick read about a man who adopted a rescued pit bull and through lots of hard work turned him into an good pet and world champion disc player. This book is very well written and I suspect that it's much harder than it appears to describe all the athletic disc moves so well that I could completely visualize what was happening. Recommended to all animal lovers and those who want to learn about this fun sport. "
— Maggie, 2/2/2014 -
" My husband and I listened to this book while traveling to the Grand Canyon. Wallace is a truly amazing dog and great ambassador for pit bulls. "
— Lynn, 2/1/2014 -
" Jim Gorant takes a small story of saving one dogs life and spins it into a 290 page book. Well written, good-hearted, but also a cautionary tale of training a dog in a sport for which he is physically unsuited, this would have made a better article then book. "
— Janesville, 1/8/2014 -
" Absolutely LOVE the dog (a spittin' image of my pit-niece / favorite creature on the planet, Sada) but the book not so much - sweet, yet bland. "
— Anna, 12/26/2013 -
" I love a book that advocates no kill....especially for pit bulls. I enjoyed reading about Wallace but it did seem at the end of the book like the ending came without warning. Still happy that another book advocating pits is on the shelf! "
— April, 12/10/2013 -
" Can you call this a biography? I love this book. It's about a pittie that beat the odds and became a world frisbee champion. I only hope that my little pittie pup will grow up to be just as inspiring to me (his owner) and to others (as an ambassador of his breed). "
— Beverly, 11/23/2013 -
" What a great book!! This was a sweet surprise and gave me a deeper appreciation for the athleticism and intensity of Pit Bulls. I'm inspired by both Wallace and his owners as they show great dedication to what they believe in. "
— Audrey, 10/15/2013 -
" I'm a sucker for dog books so I couldn't resist. Love Wallace, love his family, and love what he accomplished. Didn't always love all of the details of the disc competitions. Overall, a good story for people who love dogs. "
— Angela, 9/26/2013 -
" Loved it. Jim Gorant has a kind of academic, simple, but effective prose. I love stories like this, they inspire me to go out and do more with my own dog. :) "
— Erica, 8/27/2013 -
" Great animal rescue read! "
— Jennifer, 8/9/2013 -
" Being a pit bull owner myself, i did enjoy this book, it was great to see how Wallace grew because of disc. A nice heartwarming story that was a quick and enjoyable read. "
— Karen, 5/9/2013 -
" Great book!!!' "
— Mario, 4/29/2013 -
" First let me say that this book was on my Christmas wishlist. I am a dog lover and have a rescued pit bull whom I adore. I am also familiar with Wallace and am a fan of his facebook page. However, I was disappointed in the book. It is a great story - but a short story not a book. "
— Andi, 4/2/2013 -
" I liked this book. You have to like dogs a lot to really enjoy it though. Some of it was boring and repetative. If you have a dog that plays with discs it would be much more interesting. I love the message the author is trying to get across. There are bad dogs, not bad breeds. "
— Pamela, 1/1/2013
About Jim Gorant
Jim Gorant has worked as a magazine editor and writer for twenty years and is currently a senior editor at Sports Illustrated. His work has appeared in such magazines as Men’s Health, GQ, and Outside. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller The Lost Dogs. He lives in New Jersey.
About Sean Runnette
Sean Runnette, an Earphones Award–winning narrator, has also directed and produced more than two hundred audiobooks, including several Audie Award winners. He is a member of the American Repertory Theater company and has toured the United States and internationally with ART and Mabou Mines. His television and film appearances include Two If by Sea, Cop Land, Sex and the City, Law & Order, the award-winning film Easter, and numerous commercials.