“Linda Gray Sexton has added a moving and beautiful account to the shelf of books about Dogs & Their Writers…Her memoir-with-dogs is a chronicle of her deep connection to this specific breed over time…Sexton begins the book with a powerful anecdote about the healing effect of dogs on her mother’s mental health. Years later, debilitated by her own inner demons and depression, it is Sexton’s Dalmatian, Gulliver, who emerges as her closest companion, her life preserver…To be set free in love, to be free to love, to be unafraid to love, that’s at the core of this book-length meditation…It’s the connection that Sexton has with Gulliver, she in the throes of a deep depression at the time, that provides the crux of this memoir, and brings the book into the company of other great books about human-animal relationships.”
LOS ANGELES REVIEW OF BOOKS

“Here’s one for fans of 101 Dalmatians (book or movie) as Sexton leads us through her lifetime addiction to those delightfully spotted canines…this is not only a dog book but also a very well-written dog book…The inside look at the rarefied environment of dog shows is a fascinating subplot; and the decisions that must be made as well as the mechanics of breeding for show dogs will be eye-opening for many dog lovers. Sexton’s paean to Dalmatians, the dogs she feels have genuinely saved her life, will resonate.”
BOOKLIST

“Dog lovers, rejoice! Linda Sexton turns her literary attention to the beloved Dalmatians in her life. Bespotted is part memoir, part love song to dogs, all wonderful.”
ELLEN SUSSMAN, New York Times bestselling author of A Wedding in Provence and French Lessons  

“In Bespotted, Linda Gray Sexton slices to the heart of why the dogs in our lives are so beloved. Each Dalmatian who walks onto the page is a character in his or her own right. Bespotted is a love story, an intriguing glimpse into the world of show dogs, and a testament to the special provenance of dogs to guide humans through the darkest moments in our lives. Beautifully written and deeply felt.”
MICHELLE RICHMOND, New York Times bestselling author of Golden State and The Year of Fog

“Animal lovers will adore this emotional and touching story.”
REAL SIMPLE

“As the author eloquently portrays, no other breed suited the Sexton family as well…The bond between an animal and a human can be extremely strong, and Sexton proves this without a doubt. A heartfelt testimony about the importance of dogs, especially Dalmatians, in one woman’s life.”
KIRKUS

“Bespotted is a brave and wonderful book. The first chapter about the origin of the famous poem by Anne Sexton, “Live,” is precious both for the history it recounts with an authenticity nobody else could claim, as well as for its insight into one of the great poems of the language (hint: it is a poem made possible by dogs). Even more importantly it recognizes something that is only now becoming clear: dogs and humans are a single species, a manifestation of a single love, and this book makes that clear in a rare way.”
JEFFREY MOUSSAIEFF MASSON, author of When Elephants Weep and Dogs Never Lie About Love