Book Summary and Reviews of Dog, Inc. by John Woestendiek

Dog, Inc. by John Woestendiek

Dog, Inc.

The Uncanny Inside Story of Cloning Man's Best Friend

by John Woestendiek

  • Published:
  • Dec 2010, 320 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

It all began with a pit bull named Booger. Former Miss Wyoming Bernann McKinney was so distraught over the death of her dog, whom she regarded as her guardian and savior, that she paid $50,000 to RNL Bio for the chance to bring her beloved companion back to life. The result were five new Boogers - the first successful commercial cloning of a canine - delivered in 2008, along with a slew of compelling questions about the boundaries of science, commerce, and ethics. Blending shocking investigative reporting with colorful anecdotes, Pulitzer Prize-winning John Woestendiek takes readers behind the scenes of this emerging industry.

But Dog, Inc. isn't just a book about pets. Nor is it just a book about science. Rather it's a fascinating look at how our emotional needs are bending the reaches of science and technology, as well as a study of this uncharted territory. With our pet obsession climbing to new heights and our scientific abilities even more so, this combination raises a serious concern: Are we crossing the boundary of controlling science in the name of science, in the name of love, in the name of merchandising - or a blend of all three?

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"A valuable contribution illuminating the hubris and futility of trying to replicate dead pets (or people) that will appeal to dog lovers and those interested in cloning and science." - Library Journal

This information about Dog, Inc. was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

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More Information

Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter John Woestendiek is a thirty-four-year veteran of the newspaper industry. He currently writes the popular "ohmidog!" blog and lives in Baltimore with his shelter dog, Ace.

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