All Duluth Reading 'To Dance With the White Dog'

Terry Kay’s novel “To Dance With the White Dog” is suddenly popular again in Duluth. Everybody’s buying it, checking it out and downloading it. Or searching their bookshelves for a copy. Why? The Duluth Fine Arts League is encouraging residents to share the experience of simultaneously reading the same book and then participating in related events.

Kay, the Georgia Hall of Fame author who wrote the book more than 20 years ago, is even joining in. The community will have an opportunity to meet him when he makes an appearance at Duluth City Hall. 

The community reading project is part of DFAL’s Duluth Reads initiative and a pet project of Mayor Nancy Harris, who founded the art organization two years ago. “Duluth Reads wants our citizens to enjoy the richness of this southern classic novel together,” Harris said.

In the novel, a mysterious white dog starts appearing to Georgia pecan farmer Sam Peek after his wife suddenly dies and stays with him until just before his own death. At first, Sam is the only one who can see the white dog, but eventually his disbelieving family begins to see it, too. 

In partnership with local businesses and sponsors, DFAL is presenting three events in conjunction with the reading project, Harris said. All events are free and open to the public. 

• March 3 – A Book Talk at the Duluth Branch of the Gwinnett Public Library, 6:30 p.m.
• March 11 – A showing of the Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie “To Dance With the White Dog,” starring Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, at the Red Clay Theatre, 7 p.m. The movie was filmed on location in Georgia, and Cronyn earned a "Best Actor" Emmy for his performance. A wine and cheese tasting precedes the showing.
• March 19 – Meet author Terry Kay at Duluth City Hall, 11 a.m.

Harris said that Barnes and Noble in Duluth has plenty copies of “To Dance With the White Dog” available. The book store is doing a display in March, she said. 

Lorena Gay-Griffin, manager of the Duluth Library Branch, said the Gwinnett library system has 29 copies of the book, and she has requested extra copies for the Duluth branch. “Customers are beginning to ask for them,” she said. The library has a display up in February.

DFAL also sponsors First Friday Art Walks and other cultural activities in the city.