Sullivan Tom - The leading lady: Dinahs story

The Leading Lady was not planned in advance. One afternoon I was relaxing in my living room, enjoying a rambling conversation with a friend. As usual, Dinah was a participating third party, smiling from face to face as we visited. Suddenly, I was struck by the realization that I was privileged to be part of something rather extraordinary that had to be documented.

During a phone conversation with Tom, I casually broached the subject of putting Dinahs story down on paper. His instant response was an enthusiastic affirmative, and we were off and running.

This is by no means a my favorite pet book. This is the story of a world-class working animal, of her outreach and her influence on the lives of her friends. It is also the story of those friends.

from Betty Whites Prologue in The Leading Lady

Here, in alternating chapters written by White and Sullivan, are stories about Dinahs early and later yearsher extensive and demanding travels with Sullivanfor TV appearances, golf tournamentsand concerts, and her move into Whites pet-filled household. Theres honest talk on family dynamicson how a blind person overcomes fears and manages to lead a fulfilling life, on guide dog trainingand on how one graceful, devoted, hardworking canine affects positively the lives of those around her. Appealing for its autobiographical content, its insight into the lives of the blind, and its message of human-animal bonding.

Kirkus Reviews

BERKLEY TITLES BY BETTY WHITE AND TOM SULLIVAN

The Leading Lady: Dinahs Story

BERKLEY TITLES BY BETTY WHITE

If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Wont)

Betty & Friends

THE

LEADING LADY

Dinahs Story

BETTY WHITE

AND

TOM SULLIVAN

BERKLEY BOOKS, NEW YORK

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

Grateful acknowledgment is made for permission to reprint the following, which appears on
page ix: To Know the Dark from Farming: A Hand Book, copyright 1967 by Wendell Berry,
reprinted by permission of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc.

Copyright 1991, 2013 by Betty White and Tom Sullivan.

Cover photo courtesy of the authors.

Cover design by Diana Kolsky.

Interior text design by Kristin del Rosario.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or
electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of
copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

BERKLEY is a registered trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

The B design is a trademark of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

PUBLISHING HISTORY

Bantam hardcover edition / October 1991

Berkley trade paperback edition / February 2013

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

White, Betty, 1922

The leading lady : Dinahs story / Betty White and Tom Sullivan.Berkley trade paperback ed.

p. cm.

ISBN: 978-1-101-61925-4

1. Dinah (Dog) 2. Guide dogsUnited StatesBiography. 3. Sullivan, Tom, 1947 4. Blind
musiciansUnited StatesBiography. I. Sullivan, Tom, 1947 II. Title. III. Title: Dinahs story.

HV1780.W48 2013

636.70886dc23

2012022817

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For details, write: Special Markets, The Berkley Publishing Group, 375 Hudson Street,
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Penguin is committed to publishing works of quality and integrity.

In that spirit, we are proud to offer this book to our readers;

however, the story, the experiences, and the words are the authors alone.

To the Lady herself
for whom the word dedication could have been invented

To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.

To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,

and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,

and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.

from Farming: A Hand Book
by Wendell Berry

Our warmest thanks must go to:

LORETTA BARRETT our literary agent, whose positive response to those first tentative pages provided fuel for the whole trip.

GENE YOUNG our editor at Bantam, who taught us to follow each other like parade elephants as we told our story.

HAROLD SMITH for his love and expertise in bringing both Dinah and Nelson to fulfillment.

JENNIFER CONROY and all the dedicated people at Guide Dogs for the Blind, not only for their hospitality and cooperation but for all they continue to accomplish.

JERRY MARTIN who was there when the idea was born and whose unfailing encouragement made the difference.

MARJORIE JUDGE and her helpers at EDA Secretarial Services for all the typing as well as the enthusiastic interest.

MIKE DONALDSON who blended equal measures of love and law.

LEADER DOGS for allowing Smittys time with me to be so flexible.

PATTY, BLYTHE, & TOM who have always loved as honestly as Dinah.

Plus the good friends kind enough to read a work in progress and make it such fun. You know who you are.

Love,

Betty and Tom

When I learned they were republishing this book I was delighted!

More than twenty years have passed, and it is a different world today. There have been many changes, of course, especially in some of the advances in help for the blind, incredible technology, even guide dog training. One thing has not changed: Dinahs legacy shines as brightly as ever, and its a privilege to, once again, share her with you.