This wasn't what I was expecting but I was pleasantly surprised! A heartwarming and touching story about how the smallest thing can change your life.

My brother in law is about to run this exact race, so I found the running part of this very interesting. I love reading about what he’s up against. Man I wish I had this type of endurance. This little pup ending up with this guy, choosing his human it was meant to be. What a big heart on both of them. Who knew there was so much red tape to jump through to adopt an animal. I have read the children’s book and loved the illustrations, it showed the cuteness to the story, this showed the heart.

At first Dion comes off as very unlikeable, confident and self assured, focused on winning at all costs. As the story weaves on, we get to know Dion as a flawed person, from a challenging background with a wonderful wife. Dion needs rescuing and Gobi is the right dog for the job. Not only can Gobi run as fast as he and keep up, Gobi opens him up to how wonderful people can be. This little dog brings people together across language barriers, competitions, and even makes Dion more likable. I loved this story and recommend it for anyone, but especially dog loving runners should put it on their to read list.

Amazing story! I love dog- and cats- so any story that is actually about them is a great read! I love his tenacious little dog! Just so inspirational! Just goes to show sometimes our animal companions choose us. And we are much better for it! This is a good read for kids 4th grade and up, unless they read well, then maybe 3rd. But any animal (or dog) lover will enjoy it. Sweet story and Kudos to Dion Leonard for bringing her home! Sweet, sweet story!

I've been following Gobi's story since the very beginning and found this book to be an excellent and emotional telling of her story. It showcases the strength and heart of dogs and the strong bonds that can develop with them. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for this little gal and highly recommend this for any animal lover.

All honesty wanted it because of the title... I am not an animal person so I think it was a different read for me than most that would pick it up. It was still very good. Well written and by NO MEANS a waste of time. I would recommend it!

Lovely. A beautiful story. A wonderful book!

If you love dogs and you love travel, you'll really love this. I kept hearing about this book-and I just couldn't resist that gorgeous face on the book cover! Friends said how good this book was. It was wonderful.

The book starts where Dion has flown to China. Dion is an endurance runner. He's going to be taking part in a race which covers 155 miles and he intends to complete it in 6 days. This type of event is known as a 'multi stage ultra'. This is the biggest race he's tackled so far in his running career. There's also a short list of a few others he's done. It's interesting and informative; he mentions the sort of problems you can get if not hydrated enough, as he had had in the past; preparation for the trip, running-eg foods he can and can't eat; and his routines before a race etc.

I'd thought it would be all about running and the race but we have some family background here, and some heart breaking times. He used to weigh 240 lbs (approx 17 stones and a bit-he is 6 foot though) He has lost weight now and keeps active with his running. So again, the book addresses more issues than just the race-quite a few things that many have happen to them in their life, many will identify.

He tells of how a little dog came into his life-she appeared and ran alongside him. He names her Gobi and, just as she's become attached to Dion, so he also feels a deep attachment developing. Their heart warming journey ensues.

This book was full of surprises for me, totally different to what I thought it'd be. Much more to it than just the race through the Gobi desert. I was kept riveted. There are some lovely pictures at the end of the book. It was one of the best books I've read recently. I've seen there are different editions of this book available; for instance, a younger readers' edition. I will certainly get this as I know my grandson would love to read this.

This book gave me a bit more than I expected. I remember when Dion and Gobi were in the news as an unlikely ultra-marathon running duo in the far west of China, but if I thought I knew the story, I was wrong! The book covers the race, a bit of Dion's backstory, and then a lot of the book is spent on what happened in between the finish of the Xinjiang race and Dion's arrival back in the UK with Gobi. Despite knowing there would be a happy ending, there were times I was feeling the stress and couldn't help cheering them on towards a positive resolution of all the hurdles along the way.

Apart from the facts of Gobi's rescue, the author also takes us into his world of ultra-running. I'm a 'runner' too, but could never dream of experiencing this elite form of competition, so the insight was fascinating. Where our experience intersects is in our understanding that <i>For a lot of runners, the act of lacing up their shoes, heading out the door, and letting their lungs and their legs find their perfect rhythm as they run through nature is a beautiful thing. It’s about freedom, peace, and the moment when all time seems to stop and the stresses of daily life fade.</i> Yeah!

Dion's a nice enough guy, but the real star of this story is little Gobi. She brought tears to my eyes a few times with her pluckiness and her unswerving love and loyalty.

<i>When I turned the final bend and saw the finish line, Gobi was there. She was sitting in the shade, on a rock, scanning the horizon. For a moment she stayed motionless, and I wondered whether she’d recognize me. Then she was a blur of brown fur in motion. Leaping from the rock, she tore over the ground toward me, tail up, little tongue flapping. For the first time that day, I was smiling.</i>

Although more utilitarian than literary, the writing is fine - good enough to convey the highs and lows of emotion along with the facts. I was swept along and thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

I remember reading a newspaper clipping about the amazing story of the little dog that “adopted” the long distance race runner and stuck by his side throughout the race. So I was really happy to be given the opportunity to read the book that evolved. I am also really happy to report that the book is a super, 5 star read. Dog lovers know how deep the bond grows and how much a dog adds to one’s life. The author does a great job in conveying these nuances. The entire story is interesting and uplifting. this book is definitely recommended.
My thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for my honest review.

There are stories that just have the power to lift you up when you are in a dark place, warm your heart when it feels cold and bring out a smile when you were about to cry. Finding Gobi is such a book. While I did not fully agree with the use of some literary devices, the overall experience was very pleasant.

A heartwarming true tale of Dion Leonard’s lengthy fight to bring Gobi, a little stray Chinese dog, back to the UK. Gobi followed Dion during a gruelling ultra marathon Dion was competing in in the desert wilderness of China and having tagged along with him early in the race, ran with him through many of the hot, exhausting, draining miles, keeping up Dion’s, and many of the other competitors spirits.

As an animal lover I expected to enjoy Dion’s triumph in rescuing Gobi but, as a fully committed exercise avoider, I was surprised that I also quite enjoyed the author’s (though sometimes lengthy and repetitive) descriptions and anecdotes of his endurance running too. What I wasn’t so keen on was his somewhat disjointed and unconnected memoirs of his childhood which I didn’t feel added anything to the story and the sense of paranoia that he seemed to experience in China when waiting out Gobi’s quarantine restrictions, which never seemed to be explained or vindicated. The sense that something terrible is going to happen and something is lurking in the shadows, pervaded the second part if the book, but never actually played out. This is never going to work well when the reader, through the extensive media coverage of the story, and the initial chapter of the book describing Dion and his wife back in Edinburgh in present day enjoying a run with little Gobi, knows full well that there is a happy ever after ending.

The version I received for review did not have the photographic addendum which the full version obviously has, but I would imagine it would add nicely to the story.

Gotta love Gobi!

The story begins when Dion Leonard takes a trip to China from Edinburgh to participate in a grueling 155 mile six-day seven-stage race in the excruciating heat of desert and dangerous mountain terrain...."the biggest race of his short running career". That unforgiving land is where Gobi appears out of the blue, looks Dion in the eyes and adopts him as his own....so cool.

The first half of the novel is pretty much dedicated to the race itself (quite interesting), its participants and how winning is NOT always the main goal....surprising and gratifying to hear, and Yikes!....what a accomplishment to just finish in ANY position.

The second half explores the people of China, an adventurous, big spirited and loving little Dog and the man who makes it his mission in life to bring her home....despite the many roadblocks....despite some frightening situations; and Wow! the support from SO MANY kindhearted people in the world that made Gobi's return possible.

(Would be interesting to find out what REALLY happened to Gobi during her mysterious absence though....don't you think?)

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the complimentary ebook in exchange for review. Enjoyed the journey!

O would first like to thank Net Galley for giving me an ARC copy of this amazing book

am a dog person. After my husband lost his emotional support animal in June, 2017, every single emotion Dion Leonard so eloquently wrote brought back those feeling of unconditional love and devotion that only a dog can have for you.

Mr Leonard's writing about his childhood, although difficult, also resonated with me. After my father's death, my mother had issues. Not as bad as Mr Leonard's mother ~ but bad enough. Mr Leonard is on target, that children who had a difficult time desperately need the unconditional love of a dog.

This book is incredible. It is extremely well written. I applaud Mr Leonard, his wife and all the others involved in finding Gobi. And yes, with all of the hostile emotions in 2016, I, as a citizen of the USA want to say that Gobi was a Godsend.

If you read ONE book this year, read Finding Gobi. It will mAke you laugh, cry, cheer, but most important, it will make you THINK.

5 beautiful, determined stars to Finding Gobi! 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

In 2016, Dion Leonard was participating in a race across the Gobi Desert, over 155 miles in fact, when he found a stray dog who kept up with him step for step, over 80 miles. That alone had me in tears just thinking about the determination of the dog to keep up with a human with whom she had quickly bonded.

Later, it was Leonard’s determination to reunite with Gobi that made my heart ache and flutter. A story of love between humans and dogs, and filled with hope and strength, Finding Gobi is a must-read for any animal lover.

Thank you to Dion Leonard, Thomas Nelson/Harper Collins, and Netgalley for the ARC. Finding Gobi is available now!

A sweet story about determination and love. As an Ultrarunner, I remember seeing this story all over the news when it happened. It was a very motivating story about the much needed persistence in long distance running. It was cute and nice to know the whole story of the event.

This is a true story of an ultramarathon runner who comes across a small stray dog whilst running across the Gobi Desert in China.

I loved this story and the way it was told. I liked the format of this book, how it is a first person narrative and that it starts off letting you know whatever you read, there will be a happy ending. You are let into Dion’s private life and history very gently as his story unfolds. He has made his past and thoughts very public, you really get to know the man by the end of the book. There are no boring bits in this story and it is not about making the author look big.

You do not need to be a fan of running to enjoy this book. This is all about human nature and how we relate to dogs. This book is very well written in an adult and intelligent way. Dion fully explains the relationship that develops between a man and a dog. He has done a wonderful job at putting this into words.

I got tremendous pleasure from reading this book. I understand what Dion was going through. I loved how he put everything into perspective. He managed to put over exactly how you can feel when you are befriended by a small dog. I have a cross-breed Pug X Shih Tzu so relating to Gobi, a small stray Terrier was very, very easy for me.

Finding Gobi is a remarkable book on both dog and human levels. It was simply a joy to read and gets the top score of 5 stars from me.

A lovely heart warming tale with a happy ending. Dion and Gobi found each other, lost each other, and then thank God, found each other again. The descriptions of the preparation and psychology behind long distance endurance running were also fascinating. However, at the heart of the story, a little dog with a big heart, who manages to capture all our hearts.

There is a special place in my heart and on my bookshelf for books about ultra marathon runners. I relate to them in that they love to run. I don't relate to them even a little in that they are crazy and run ultra marathons.

This book was simply lovely. I love the inspiration and human spirit captured in most running stories. This was no exception. I loved reading about this man's troubling childhood and how he overcame them. Unlike most running books, this wasn't just about capturing the beauty of the human spirit. In this book there was also the beauty of the canine spirit. A man somehow managed to befriend a small stray mutt in the middle of an ultra marathon. Gobi is amazing. I don't think I have ever heard of a dog participating in a full ultra marathon, let alone one in the desert. Or one they had not trained for. By the end of the race, Gobi managed to make herself the mascot for the whole race.

Such a warm lovely story.

I found myself 100% caught up in Gobi's story. Dion's quest to get his new friend home was incredible.

As a dog lover, I really loved this story. The author is an extreme runner and meets Gobi whilst running in China. The little dog keeps pace with him on his 155 mile race and Dion decides to take the dog back home to Edinburgh with him. This is a heartwarming story of an incredible journey told from a personal viewpoint. Had me in tears! Thanks to Net Galley for my copy. I reviewed on Amazon, Goodreads and Facebook.

Dion Leonard is a multi-stage, ultra-marathon runner. He is also a very good writer. This is basically the story of a crazy Aussie/Scot who flies to China for a race across the Gobi desert. As the race is about to start, a small. terrier-type dog becomes entranced with the yellow spats Leonard is wearing to keep the sand from getting into his shoes. The race begins, and the dog (soon to be named Gobi) runs alongside....for 25 miles in temperatures well above 100 degrees. The book tells the story of the race, and everything both he and Gobi endured in order for Leonard to take his new fond friend home with him to Scotland.

This is a warm-and-fuzzy feel good story on one level. But Leonard also wants the reader to understand how much this little dog has changed him. He doesn't tell you about these changes; he shows you. I honestly did not care for the author at all to start with. There is a fine line between drive and passion, and obsessions and temper tantrums and Leonard spends quite a bit of time on the wrong side. But Gobi touches something inside Leonard, and he becomes a better man for it.