Katie Up and Down the Hall: The True Story of How One Dog Turned Five Neighbors Into a Family

From Publishers WeeklyPlaskin (Horowitz), journalist and lower Manhattan resident, shares the delightful story of how his precocious cocker spaniel, Katie, brought him closer to his neighbors and turned an apartment building of strangers into an urban family. Katie charms everyone she comes in contact with: elderly Pearl and Arthur, dog-phobic Ramon, resident macaw Mojo, and Ryan, a motherless two-year old whom Katie befriends, breaking her "no kids" rule. Katie rubs elbows with the rich and famous--Alan King, Leona Helmsley, Peter Jennings, Katharine Hepburn--as she accompanies the author, a former journalist with CNN, on his interviews. She commandeers the television remote control, steals spaghetti, receives a Christmas gift from Ivana Trump, stars as Toto in a play production of The Wizard of Oz, and is the subject of a Page Six item in the New York Post. Aside from her antics and brushes with fame, Katie proves to be a source of comfort after September 11 and when a member of their makeshift family dies. Plaskin™s engaging narration and Katie™s ability to make community will endear this book to readers. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. ReviewPraise for KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL: "Katie is an absolutely delightful story, so much more than a memoir. It is a wise and moving story of love found-and shared on life's journey-and then the inevitable separation. Reading it you will smile even as your eyes sparkle with tears." -Mary Higgins Clark "God can appear in many disguises-even as a dog-bringing people together in a spirit of love. All I can say is that I felt 'really good' after reading Glenn's superb book-there can be no higher endorsement." -Wayne Dyer, New York Times bestselling author "It is not surprising that Glenn Plaskin's innate talents-his insight and human touch-are wonderfully brought to the forefront in his new book KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL. It's a significant story well worth reading-Glenn has done a terrific job." -Donald J. Trump "[Glenn's] story proves that the true and small pleasures in life-friendship, loyalty and trust-are the ones that matter most." -Calvin Klein "Katie the cocker spaniel and her human family teach that loving isn't about the bonds of biology, loving is about embracing and caring for each other. Glenn Plaskin's book will touch the heart of anyone who has ever loved a dog." -Judge Judy Sheindlin "This is a powerfully compelling story that will capture your heart, about the true meaning of family and the eternal nature of love. Glenn's use of language reveals the soul of a poet." -Anthony Robbins, entrepreneur, author, and peak performance strategist "Katie types, she models, she uses a remote, she changes the lives of everyone around her-and she's got a great wardrobe! What dog (other than my own, of course) can do all that? Well Katie can-and it's a fabulous, heartfelt book." -Joan Rivers "KATIE UP AND DOWN THE HALL is an absolute delight, a lovely book, and, of course, I fell in love with that beautiful little blond girl. She is a keeper." -Betty White "Katie is a dream come true to the various families living on her floor in a New York apartment. Her heart is so big that she adopts them all, making you wish you were one of them." -Mary Tyler Moore "I picked up this book to glance through it and suddenly found myself unable to put it down. This warm, touching, tender and loving memoir is probably the best book I've ever read about a dog. Glenn pulls you into this moving story instantly. Even people who are not crazy about dogs will love this tale." -Barbara Taylor Bradford