The Chicago Blog

Set in the tumultuous Los Angeles of 1968, Romain Gary's novel White Dog is the French writer's fictional memoir of his ill-fated attempt to re-train a lost police K9 programmed to respond visciously to the sight of black men. Offering a unique and insightful critique of racism in America, the book was originally published in 1970 and reissued in 2004 by the Press.

The book was adapted for a 1982 feature film directed by Samuel Fuller. But due the controversial subject matter, it was initially withheld from release. Now the Criterion Collection has released a remastered DVD of the film it calls a "throat-grabbing exposé on American racism" and "a tragic portrait of the evil done by that most corruptible of animals: the human being." To find out more about the film navigate to the Criterion Collection's website, or experience Gary's groundbreaking work in its purest form by picking up a copy of the book.