5/5 Saddle up for a wild ride with the "Dog"
  by L. Rothfork (Burbank , CA USA)
I'll admit that the only reason I bought the book was because it gave me a chance to shake hands with the "Dog" at a recent book signing at a Wal-Mart in Santa Clarita, CA. I started reading while waiting in line and right from the intro which recounted the capture of rapist Andrew Luster, I was hooked. It was like jumping in that black suburban with the "Dog" and the rest of the posse and off we went.

The adventure of the bounty hunts was great, but add the deep and moving life story of Duane Chapman and I defy anyone to stop reading until the last page...A brave story told by a very brave man...May God continue to bless Duane "DOG" Chapman
By the way..Beth was also at the book signing and I met her as well... she is GORGEOUS!!

4/5 From a tough and rough life, the "Dog" has refocused his life.
  by Robert Schmidt (Honolulu, HI & Logan, UT USA)
You Can Run but You Can't Hide, by Duane "Dog" Chapman, is a tough book to review. This is not fine literature. It is the autobiography of a man who journeyed far afield: petty thief, felon, creep, volunteer, doper, gang banger, boxer, biker, convicted murderer, champion vacuum salesman, evangelist, loving father, loving son, abused kid, prison inmate, bounty hunter, hero, homeless man, A&E star, father, grandfather, husband, cellmate, barber, laundry worker, entrepreneur, counselor, and more.

Chapman burst on the Americana scene with his audacious capture of convicted rapist Andrew Luster in Mexico, which itself caused an international incident. He has been a big hit on A&E ever since.

In You Can Run but You Can't Hide, Chapman is blunt, blunt, blunt about his past, which is not pretty. He lived fast and furious, and one big omission in his summary of his life, and in his philosophy, is how he is making up for these past discretions. Frankly, it is a wonder that he survived to age 18. He was never a model father, and this is reflected in the behaviors of some of his children. With that said, in this book you do sense a "change in the Force" with him. It will be interesting to see whether he stays on a positive track over the next decade.

Some interesting tidbits:

- Chapman is one quarter "Indian" (his phrasing)
- He got the nickname, "Dog", from his gang, in reference to his devotion to God.
- Hawaii was a fluke, as he visited in 1991 and fell in love with the place.

I found myself, for right or for wrong, comparing him to Eddie Aikau of (deserved) "Eddie Would Go" fame. Aikau had a troubled youth, although nothing like Chapman, and his heroics only increased throughout his life until that fatal tragedy. Chapman fell deeper, and must climb higher to get out of the abyss. He has a ways to go, as his life stabilizes, but I suspect those affected by his past continue to suffer.

I find myself intrigued and engaged by the A&E show, "Dog the Bounty Hunter." I look for familiar landmarks. I watch the interactions between Dog and Beth, and Dog's children. I listen to Dog explain to captured bad guys that they can turn their life around, just like he did. "I've been there, brudda."

Chapman dropped out of school in junior high, so this clearly needed some severe editing, and that was accomplished. This book is "reality TV" in book form... now there's a concept!

At the writing of this book, the legal issues with Chapman and his sons in Mexico have not been resolved. Thanks again, Dog, for capturing Andrew Luster (who was raping women in Mexico), and for getting other bad dudes off the street. Keep your life clean, and work to deserve being a role model outside of being in show business. The show business fame is fleeting... just ask Paris Hilton!

5/5 A Great Read
  by Kristi Branstetter (Raytown, Missouri United States)
I got hooked on Dog: The Bounty Hunter as I was flipping thru the channels one day looking for something to watch on TV.

I received this book a few days before its release. It's an interesting and colorful look at Dog's life. It is not a book for those who are offended by cursing. The book is brutally honest. It's a book about a man who has turned his life around. Dog talks about his younger days as a bad boy, his time in prison, and as a drug user. He talks a great deal about his passions... His love for the Lord and his love for bounty hunting. The book goes into great detail about his hunt for Andrew Luster. Let's face it... Andrew Luster needed to be off the streets.

Whether you like Dog or not, please read the book. You will get to know Duane "Dog" Chapman thru this book.

4/5 The Dog Man Cometh
  by C. Baker (Washington, DC)
Duane "Dog" Chapman is the most famous bounty hunter in the world. His hit reality TV series on the A&E Channel and his notorious capture of a well known serial rapist in Mexico has brought him a lot of money and fame. In this autobiography, Dog Chapman tells his own story, and what a story it is.

Dog grew up in a rather tough home environment and eventually became a petty thief, burglar, dope dealer, and member of a biker gang. Eventually he wound up in jail on a first degree murder conviction (he didn't actually do the deed, he just happened to be there at the time). After spending 18 months in jail he decided to try to turn his life around and eventually found himself in the world of bail bonds and bounty hunting. But it certainly is a topsy-turvy life story with ups, and downs, and further downs, and then up again. Even after getting out of jail he found himself in trouble, either financially or of his own making with drug addiction or falling in with bad women. If anything this story is about perseverance in the face of constantly falling down.

Overall, Dog's story is certainly unique. This book is more about his wild ride in life than it is about bounty hunting or specific cases, so beware if that is what you were expecting. I wouldn't necessarily call Dog's life story inspirational but it certainly shows the power of persistence and constantly striving for better.

5/5 Excellent
  by R. Carroll (Western KY USA)
Many people who see the show do not realize the background of Duane "Dog" Chapman. Most simply look on his outward appearance and judge him to be of no count. However, after reading this book, you will quickly come to realize that what is within a man means much more than what is on the outside. In this very honest book, Dog lays it all out for the readers to see - his past in vivid, descriptive language - in a way that grips you emotionally and makes you appreciate how he has come to where he is.

My wife and I heard him speak recently where he claimed the title describes not simply his desire to catch fugitives, but God's desire to catch him. Excellent book, but definitely not for children to be reading.