"A Dog in a Hat is the most authentic book ever written on making a living as a pro cyclist in Europe." - Bob Roll, Tour de France television cycling commentator
"Joe Parkin is a beautiful piece of work." - Bill Strickland, Bicycling magazine
"Sordid, funny, and engrossing." - Bike Snob NYC
"Joe tells his story straight. It's not pretty, but it's not bitter." - BikeRadar.com
"[Readers] have a seat in the middle of the peloton as we see what Joe sees, breathe what he smells, watch as his peers juice up and we struggle with him as he strives to get out in front of it all. Parkin's words weave a colorful tapestry about living life on the bicycle racing circuit in Europe. Yet that tapestry is soiled and tattered because of the true cutthroat nature of bicycle racing and the absolute grit in the stories Joe relives for us." - Dirt Rag magazine
"This plain, self-deprecating memoir has the ring of authenticity at the other end of the sport where-even today-not all the riders are being paid, the hotels are still bad, and the races are just as hard." - TinDonkey.com
"Impossible to put down." - Mountain Bike Action magazine
"The finest insight into the mentality of cycling in Belgium. The direct style of writing mirrors perfectly the blunt matter-of-fact attitude of the Flemish towards their sport. A tale of suffering that makes it feel like existing in Belgian cycling is to be permanently on the cusp of unravelling." - Cycle Sport magazine "The Best 50 Cycling Books of All Time"
"Is A Dog in a Hat the best book we've ever read about bike racing? Undeniably yes. The essential truths you'll learn about Belgian bike racing are timeless...Of everything written about bike racing throughout the history of mankind, Chapter 3, "Kermis Don't Play Fair," is the most important 20 pages ever penned. No one should be permitted to own a USA Cycling license without being able to recite this chapter from heart. You'll be fascinated by Joe's humility, his determination, and by the warped way domestiques set their goals and weigh success." - CompetitiveCyclist.com
"Parkin's commentary is riveting, offering an insider look into the sport that few get to see, let alone experience." - Mountain Bike magazine
"I loved A Dog in a Hat. Joe's stories bring back many memories of racing in Belgium, where I learned how to fight for position in the echelon, to suffer in the gutter while jumping curbs and dodging potholes, and to pound out my guts when it really mattered. Belgium is a hard place to learn bicycle racing and Joe's story proves how tough he was." - Ron Kiefel
"A Dog in a Hat is a page turner. Anyone who has raced in Europe or who wonders what it's like to jump the ocean on your own should pick up this book. Joe captures the struggle and the intensity to succeed, and the fact that he did it on his own is all the more impressive. Cycling in Europe is tough; doing it Joe's way is even tougher!" - Frankie Andreu
"Parkin went native in an era when Americans were still exotic creatures, and not in a good way. This unglamorized insider's view is what makes A Dog in a Hat well worth reading. Parkin shows you life on the edge of the peloton. We know the great champions' stories, but Parkin's experience is far more illustrative of what a "pro cyclist" really is." -PodiumCafe.com
"There's something very approachable about the underdog, the guy who works as hard as anyone, but never achieves the stardom we all chase. I peeled through A Dog in a Hat in a few nights, always wanting to know what was coming next. Joe's candor is refreshing to read and entertaining as hell." - PezCyclingNews.com
"An honest, well-written insight into what it's like to move to Europe and try to make it as a pro racer. A Dog in a Hat is funny, touching, brave, and honest in its look at the complicated world of the European pro cycling scene." -The Independent
