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Tony James Slater
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Don't Need The Whole Dog! A Comedy Memoir (Adventure Without End Book 2) Kindle Edition

by Tony James Slater (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 1,301 ratings

Tony James Slater went to Ecuador, looking to become a man.
Not all of him returned.

But the bit that did was fuelled by a burning desire to explore every inch of this incredible world we live in. Bitten by the sprit of adventure – amongst many other things – Tony set his sights on Thailand, vowing to start a new life in paradise.

He’s about to get a whole lot more than he bargained for.

From full-contact volunteering to delivering yachts, to reality TV…
…to selling his body to medical science?!
How far would you go to achieve your dreams?

One thing’s for sure – when a man like this goes in search of adventure, it's bound to end in tears. Because this isn't just any old idiot; this is the man who was carrying that jaguar when it woke up.
And to make things worse, he's not alone…

So batten down the hatches! Lock up your power tools! And for gawd's sake turn the electricity off.
Because that crazy Englishman is back.
And this time, he's brought the whole family!

Join Tony on his hilarious quest to escape the daily grind by any means necessary.
Grab your copy of Don’t Need The Whole Dog today.

*Don't Need The Whole Dog is the second book following Tony's misadventures. It can be read on its own just as easily, or as part of the Adventure Without End series.*


What readers are saying about Don’t Need The Whole Dog:

“...WARNING: May cause an urge to travel to far off places!”
“…moving, inspiring, uplifting, and, of course, extremely funny.”
“…Another masterpiece – the idiot has done it again!”
“…fun, hilarious, and even heartwarming at points…”
“…how can so much go wrong for one person in each and every circumstance?”
“…probably my favourite book of the year so far.”
“…if you like Bryson and Mahood you will love this…”
"...how Tony made it through this adventure alive is a miracle..."

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  1. Print length
    388 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    December 15, 2012
  4. File size
    3.0 MB
  5. Page Flip
    Enabled
  6. Word Wise
    Enabled
  7. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

From the Author

Hi folks!Thank-you so much for checking out my books. 'Don't Need The Whole Dog' chronicles the adventures I had after leaving Ecuador, as I tried everything I could to keep on traveling. It was a pretty crazy ride... But you'll be delighted to know that I DID survive, and my ridiculous shenanigans continue in four more books, with another one due out this year.I hope you enjoy them, and thanks again for reading!Best wishes,Tony

About the Author

Tony James Slater is a very, very strange man. He believes himself to be indestructible, despite considerable evidence to the contrary. He is often to be found making strange faces whilst pretending to be attacked by inanimate objects. And sometimes - not always, but often enough to be of concern - his testicles hang out of the holes in his trousers.
It is for this reason (amongst others) that he chooses to spend his life far from mainstream civilization, tackling ridiculous challenges and subjecting himself to constant danger. He gets hurt quite a lot.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00AP3R2Z8
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Various Things (ADT) (December 15, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 15, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3.0 MB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 388 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 1,301 ratings

About the author

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Tony James Slater

Tony James Slater

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***Click the big yellow 'Follow' button to get a message from Amazon when I publish a new book!***

Tony James Slater is an unusual combination of science-fiction author and travel-memoir writer.

He is a very, very strange man. He believes himself to be indestructible, despite considerable evidence to the contrary. He is often to be found making strange faces whilst pretending to be attacked by inanimate objects. But perhaps his biggest problem is this: he has a mouth so big he is at risk of swallowing his own head.

It is for this reason (amongst others) that he chooses to spend his life far from mainstream civilization, tackling ridiculous challenges and subjecting himself to constant danger. He gets hurt quite a lot.

For more information, or to complain about his shameless self promotion, please visit: www.TonyJamesSlater.com

But BE WARNED! Some of the writing is in red.

Tony LOVES it when you make contact - it makes him feel a little less lonely in this big ole' world.

You can follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/TonyJamesSlater

You can harass him on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TonyJamesSlater

And he blogs about how ridiculous his life is at: http://www.AdventureWithoutEnd.com

Please come and hang out, send a message or throw something sticky. But preferably not a stick...

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
1,301 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find this book entertaining and hilarious, particularly appreciating the author's ability to laugh at himself. Moreover, the storytelling is engaging, with one customer noting how it takes readers all over the world. Additionally, the writing style is easy to read and ideal for quick reads, while customers describe the author as a likeable person with a good heart. However, the pacing receives mixed reviews, with one customer noting it meanders around different topics.

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95 customers mention "Enjoyment"88 positive7 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and entertaining, particularly praising Tony's writing style.

"...Thanks for such fun travel reads, Tony. If you could use an Editor, and, seriously, you could use an Editor, I'm volunteering for the position." Read more

"...episodic and less cohesive adventure than his other books, it's still a fun and outrageous book, and I consider it worth the money...." Read more

"...and I were thoroughly entertained. Travel info is informative and a lot of fun. Tony and accomplices escapades are a real hoot...." Read more

"...literally don't know what he's going to do next, and that makes these books so much fun...." Read more

91 customers mention "Humor"88 positive3 negative

Customers find the book hilarious, particularly appreciating the author's ability to laugh at himself and his light-hearted travelogues.

"Your writing's gotten better, Tony! Again, LOL funny and filled with heart even though you DO do stupid stuff to yourself...." Read more

"...Like a more foul-mouthed Bill Bryson, his travel exploits are fun, hilarious, and even heartwarming at points, and I was eager to read more of them...." Read more

"Totally different from anything I’ve previously read: interesting, crazy, funny, Very entertaining travel adventure stories...." Read more

"...Having said all that, Tony is undeniably hilarious!..." Read more

52 customers mention "Storytelling"52 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the storytelling in the book, praising the author's ability to weave entertaining tales and recount amazing adventures.

"...And of course, the Thailand stories were more than amusing. The Visa runs, dog head transport, and monkey extractor were richly detailed...." Read more

"...Travel info is informative and a lot of fun. Tony and accomplices escapades are a real hoot...." Read more

"...I’ve previously read: interesting, crazy, funny, Very entertaining travel adventure stories...." Read more

"...His honesty, self-deprecation, and good heart, make his stories so genuinely appealing. Tony will try anything...." Read more

39 customers mention "Writing style"36 positive3 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, finding it well-crafted and easy to read, with one customer noting that the author doesn't sugar-coat his travel experiences.

"Your writing's gotten better, Tony! Again, LOL funny and filled with heart even though you DO do stupid stuff to yourself...." Read more

"...Tony's writing is brisk and fun, not afraid to shy away from the grungier and more ridiculous aspects of whatever country he's visiting, but at the..." Read more

"...His honesty, self-deprecation, and good heart, make his stories so genuinely appealing. Tony will try anything...." Read more

"...then it becomes an entertaining read. The explicit descriptions blended with colourful language and topped with a generous coating of..." Read more

12 customers mention "Heartwarming"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book heartwarming and inspiring, with one customer noting it looks on the bright side of life.

"Your writing's gotten better, Tony! Again, LOL funny and filled with heart even though you DO do stupid stuff to yourself...." Read more

"...Bill Bryson, his travel exploits are fun, hilarious, and even heartwarming at points, and I was eager to read more of them...." Read more

"...His honesty, self-deprecation, and good heart, make his stories so genuinely appealing. Tony will try anything...." Read more

"...Funny, clever, yet sweet and humble. Please read this book. I hope to follow him on more adventures." Read more

10 customers mention "Travel content"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the travel content of the book, with one review noting how it takes readers all over the world.

"...Like a more foul-mouthed Bill Bryson, his travel exploits are fun, hilarious, and even heartwarming at points, and I was eager to read more of them...." Read more

"...and I were thoroughly entertained. Travel info is informative and a lot of fun. Tony and accomplices escapades are a real hoot...." Read more

"...He provides detailed, life saving information, especially for divers. He's a fun, entertaining, informative read...." Read more

"Tony loves to travel and tries to keep it as cheap as possible. He sells his body to science to help finance...." Read more

7 customers mention "Personality"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's characters, finding them likeable and engaging.

"...Tony is such a likeable person. I think it's impossible to read his books and not enjoy his crazy adventures...." Read more

"...Like the first book, it was full of warm, likeable characters who he manages to describe honestly and humorously without being mean or nasty...." Read more

"...The main character, Tony himself, is a most engaging personality. His considerable writing talent speaks for itself...." Read more

"...that underneath his somewhat bumbling exterior, Tony's actually a pretty great guy. He clearly loves animals, his family and his friends...." Read more

6 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive3 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it unassuming and casual, while others note that it meanders around different topics and has a disjointed series of events.

"...His writing is fresh and unassuming. He makes you feel as though you're right there with him, joining in the fun...." Read more

"...It does tend to meander around a bit on different topics without any apparent 'point' to it all, which might put some readers off...." Read more

"I really like the way Tony writes, Casual and interesting with a great sense of humour. His books are easy to read and well written." Read more

"...Anyway, the book is just a disjointed series of events that happens to the author, little of which is very interesting...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • KBarbieri
    5.0 out of 5 stars Again, Not Keen on the Title - Loved the Book
    Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Your writing's gotten better, Tony! Again, LOL funny and filled with heart even though you DO do stupid stuff to yourself. I like that you're not a bum just looking for the next lay or score. You seem to be a vagabond with a mission - which just makes me smile. Funny stories in this book. I was truly exhausted for you and couldn't wait for you to finish that Treorchy house. You rocked the military training - they're probably still sore about how that ended. And of course, the Thailand stories were more than amusing. The Visa runs, dog head transport, and monkey extractor were richly detailed. I'm off to start the Kangaroo book about your time in Australia with your sis Gill and her friend Roo. Looking forward to learning more about Gill - she seems quite like you in so many ways. I can't help smiling at the scene of her falling down two flights of stairs. You painted a vividly absurd picture that I cherish even now. Thanks for such fun travel reads, Tony. If you could use an Editor, and, seriously, you could use an Editor, I'm volunteering for the position.
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Kenya Starflight
    4.0 out of 5 stars More episodic but still entertaining tale of a globe-trotting idiot's misadventures abroad
    Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I've read and loved two of Tony Slater's previous books, "That Bear Ate My Pants" and "Kamikaze Kangaroos." He has a knack for finding humor in even the bleakest circumstances, an appreciation of the absurd, and perhaps that rarest trait of all -- the ability to have a good laugh at himself and his foibles. Like a more foul-mouthed Bill Bryson, his travel exploits are fun, hilarious, and even heartwarming at points, and I was eager to read more of them. So while I got "Bear" and "Kangaroos" as Kindle freebies, I paid good hard money for "Don't Need the Whole Dog," as I felt the author deserved my money and I was eager to read the book that bridged the gap between "Bear" and "Kangaroos," detailing his adventures between Ecuador and Australia.

    While I didn't enjoy "Dog" quite as much as I did "Bear" and "Kangaroos," finding it a more episodic and less cohesive adventure than his other books, it's still a fun and outrageous book, and I consider it worth the money.

    After coming home to Great Britain from Ecuador, Tony finds himself hungering for adventure again, wanting to see the world, meet new people, and do good work somewhere. But doing that requires something that he lacks -- money. So before he can go traipsing off to Thailand, the next adventure on his journey, Tony needs to secure the funds. So after a quick side-trip to the USA with his sister and mother, he finds himself renovating a house for his father, landing his family on a reality TV show, selling his body to science, sailing (and sinking) a luxury yacht, joining the army as a weekend warrior, and otherwise scrambling to secure the next leg of his globe-trotting journey. And in the meantime, he'll make new friends, new enemies, and new adventures... if he doesn't kill himself first.

    Unlike "Bear" and "Kangaroos," "Don't Need the Whole Dog" is more episodic in nature, dealing with several smaller adventures rather than one big one. His trip to Thailand only takes up about the last half to third of the book, while the rest is his misadventures in England (with a brief detour into the USA's Grand Canyon territory). For those wanting a single bigger adventure, read "Bear" or "Kangaroos" instead.

    That's not to say that "Don't Need the Whole Dog" isn't worth your time or cash. Tony's writing is brisk and fun, not afraid to shy away from the grungier and more ridiculous aspects of whatever country he's visiting, but at the same time not trashing them as he writes. Aside from the occasional exaggeration for humor's sake, he's honest in what he depicts, and even after showing the warts of wherever he is, he's still quick to sing its praises as well. And the various characters that populate his stories would sound too outrageous to be true... if it wasn't for the fact that I'm sure everyone has met people like this at some point, or encountered them on their travels.

    Also story-wise, "Don't Need the Whole Dog" not only fills in a few gaps in "That Bear Ate My Pants" (such as a more detailed account of his disastrous trip to France), but leads directly into "Kamikaze Kangaroos." While this does make this book a little harder to stand on its own, I appreciated it as a nice bridge between the other two books.

    Tony Slater is one of the best travel writers I've read, right up there with Bill Bryson, and I hope to continue to read his misadventures abroad. And while this book wasn't QUITE as good as "Bear" or "Kangaroos," it was still pretty darn fun. Now on to read "Can I Kiss Her Yet" and "Shave My Spider"...
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Ann E. Watt
    5.0 out of 5 stars All of Slater's books -Fabulous!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 3, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I've now read all five of Tony James Slater's books, and loved each one! Actually started with "Shave My Spider... ". due to a family member's recommendation. Husband (he's read them all, too!) and I were thoroughly entertained. Travel info is informative and a lot of fun. Tony and accomplices escapades are a real hoot. I almost never laugh out loud while reading a book, but I found myself laughing both internally as well as out loud throughout the set of books. My husband, he of the weird sense of humor, could be heard laughing for weeks! As to reading them out of order, Tony would agree it's a-ok, and to just consider the earlier books to be huge flashbacks.

    I'm not a big fan of English humor, but I'm a huge fan of Slater's books. If you are looking for something to read other than a tome such as "War And Peace", give Tony James Slater a try. I'm not going to say which book I enjoyed the most. Actually, that would be a very hard choice, but I do have one. Your favorite will undoubtably be different, as all of the books are similar, but different.

    Read one, and you won't be disappointed.

    OK Slater! When's the next one?
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  • C. Damante
    5.0 out of 5 stars Totally fascinating read!
    Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    Totally different from anything I’ve previously read: interesting, crazy, funny, Very entertaining travel adventure stories. All this with the added cultural background of Thailand.
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Kathy Stewart
    5.0 out of 5 stars Very funny!
    Reviewed in Australia on July 24, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This is Tony Slater's second book and I bought it and the entire series after reading That Bear Ate My Pants, set in Equador. Don't Need the Whole Dog is part memoir and part travel and deals with Tony's day-to-day life in the UK before he embarks on an volunteering stint at an animal shelter/clinic in Thailand. Of course, nothing is mundane or ordinary with Tony and he had me in stitches as he recounted his lurches from one catastrophe to another, but which always seem to work out for the best, despite his best efforts. Very funny, but once again not for the strait-laced.
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  • Mark Pope
    5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't disappoint
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 23, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    Having read Tony's first book, 'That Bear Ate My Pants', over Christmas last year, I was pleased to see that the second was out in time for me to make it a tradition. I picked it up yesterday to dip in for a few chapters and have just finished it. Suffice to say I've barely put it down. Much to the detriment of any last minute Christmas shopping!

    The book follows on beautifully from his autobiographical coming-of-age/adventure story; in this second instalment we see the author growing as a person and as a writer, relaying a host of amusing, scary, ridiculous, sad, hilarious, embarrassing and altogether entertaining accounts of some the bizarre situations that befall him (warning: some of said situations include bodily fluids, being probed, molested, sumo-wrestled, and damn near killed on more than one occasion... again...)

    The problem with Slater's punchy writing style, metered chapters and excellent ability to relay an anecdote is that you find yourself thinking "I'll just read another chapter..." And then it's four o'clock in the morning! Given that he's somehow managed to accrue a lifetime of such stories already (although given the predicaments he gets himself into, it may not be the longest of lifetimes!) readers will never find themselves wanting for action, or indeed humour. Essentially, it's the kind of stuff you couldn't write as fiction!

    There are a few typos to iron out, and the style of humour may not be everyone's 'cup of tea', but none of this detracted from what I found to be an excellent and entertaining insight into the life of a man whom I'd definitely want round the the table at a dinner party. As long as he promised to behave himself.

    I look forward to a third book, assuming he survives long enough to write one! Until then, I'll be reading his blog.
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  • Frankie G
    5.0 out of 5 stars Another great book!
    Reviewed in France on August 20, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Although I hate the titles of this book and TJ Slater's first book 'That bear ate my pants' because they don't so either book justice, I enjoyed reading this book as much as the first one.
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  • Diane Jacques
    5.0 out of 5 stars So funny!
    Reviewed in Canada on August 6, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    If you want a good laugh of the adventures and I would say misadventures of the candid and witty narrator of this book, it is for you! I laughed so much It brightened my days during the Covid-19 confinement. It's like your best friend telling you his adventures in details. :) A must read to cheer you up!
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
    Reviewed in Germany on August 6, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    Eine wunderbare Sommerlektüre, die schwer aus der Hand zu legen ist, mit typisch britischem Humor (und Understatement) geschrieben. Keine typische Reiseerzählung, eher eine Erzählung aus dem vollen Leben eines untypischen Menschen.
    Report

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