Book Review:: Where Mercy is Shown, Mercy is Given by Duane “Dog” Chapman

Mercy and forgiveness are the flavor of this, the second book by legendary bounty hunter and cable tv personality Duane ‘Dog’ Chapman. Chapman discusses heated issues such as his imprisonment in Mexico after apprehending Andrew Luster, his infamous usage of the ‘N’ word in a phone call with his son and offers the benefit of his experience to crime fighters and bounty hunters in the USA.

While most definitely a more serious book than 2007’s You Can Run but you Can’t Hide, all of the things close to the Dog’s heart are present–his family and his hunts. While he has no love for the IRS, detailing tons of issues with the governmental agency, the painful loss of his daughter and the imprisonment of his son are evident.

The in-depth looks at his family and personal struggles were interesting to read. He is the same in print as he is on his show. However, I was not as interested in the more preachy tones of the book. To me, much of the book seemed like Chapman was trying to defend his actions to his fans, which I didn’t want to read. However, Chapman’s trademark personality and charisma are present and appreciated.

Published March 2010, by Hyperion. 287 pages. Available in ebook format, hardcover (and others) at Barnes and Noble.

Rating: 6.5/10:: I’m a fan of the show, but a lot of this book seemed like an apology or a mea culpa. I would be more interested in a different type of book–one focusing on his career and his family–as both are very important to Chapman. I checked this book out of the local library. It was a quick read.