Rating: 
Summary: Excellent Novel
Review: Now I know why I listed Walter Mosley as my favorite person. His books are always riveting. I never thought I would like a character as much as I love Easy Rawlins and Mouse. But I couldn't be more wrong. Socrates is now my favorite character. I love Walter Mosley style of writing he reminds me of a modern day Langston Hughes. Another great book
Rating:
Summary: Mosley, if bad things occur, I will never forgive you.
Review: Socrates Fortlow is not a good man, but he is a man trying to be good. He murdered his girlfriend and her lover and served his time in an Indiana prison. Now, he has a two-legged dog and a friend named Daryl who is 12 years old who has already killed. Daryl works part time at the Bounty with "Socco" and adores him, Socrates would take Daryl on as his child but cannot because he is a convict, so Daryl lives with a man and woman whose son was killed in a drive by shooting until a fat man named Harold and his wife take him in and Socco is dubbed the uncle. Socco desires Harold's wife, has sex with his friend's outside woman, tells the young Daryl all about the murders he has committed, and somehow comes across as a good guy when he exposes a corrupt cop, all the while his boss is supporting him, although he does get fired, and his woman is forgiving him. Mosley, if you let anything bad happen to Daryl or Harold or Socrates, I will never forgive you.
Rating:
Summary: An original character from a powerful writer
Review: Socrates Fortlow is one of the great creations in American fiction. A man still living out his sentence even though he's been out of prison nine years, he struggles to be a good man, a decent man, a man who makes a difference. He takes care of his two-legged dog, his adopted son Darryl, and tries to defend his neighborhood from the depredations of a bad cop; but Mosley, a writer whose prose is poetic, does not romanticize him. There is life in this collection of scenes set in LA's South Central.
Rating: 
Summary: Post-Modern Socrates
Review: Socrates Fortlow returns in Walter Mosley's second collection of stories about the ex-con trying to find his place and beliefs in a radically changed world now that he's out of prison. "Always Outnmubered, Always Outgunned" introduced the not-so-gentle giant and found a ready audience in Mosley fans and a new audience seduced by Socrates' coming to terms with his new life and learning to understand who is he is in relation to it. The dozen stories here deal with his slow progress into a post-modern world, sometimes against his will - he is a man who resists even getting a telephone because he is afraid it will make him too available and possibly vulnerable. But away from prison for a long enough time, eventually his defenses begin to transform, as in the church discussion group he joins where he discovers real hope within. This is a fascinating journal of one man's spiritual journey that reflects many of today's hot button issues, and makes me eager to see where Mosley will take the admirable Socrates Fortlow next.
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Summary: TO BE A POOR BLACK EX-CON IN SOUTH CENTRAL L. A.
Review: The dozen interconnected short stories in Walter Moseley's _WALKIN' THE DOG_ do a lot more than just describe several incidents in the life of his protagonist, Socrates Fortlow.Socrates, as many of the readers of this review probably already know, is an ex-convict who was convicted of murder(evidently a crime of passion -- his wife was in bed with his "best friend"), served his time, and is now trying to live out his life working an honest job as a grocery bagger, while serving as a mentor for a teen aged boy, and lovingly caring for his two legged dog, "Killer." A pervasive problem is that too many people, including a racist cop or two, just won't leave him or his conscience alone. One very bad cop, in particular, has brutalized, raped, and murdered defenseless black victims. In addressing this, Socrates does NOT resort to violence, but, wearing a sandwich board listing the rogue cops acts of violence, walks up and down across the street from a police station. When people begin to take notice of him, the police order him to move. He refuses because he believes his actions are legal. When the police try to remove him from the street using excess physical force a crowd including TV reporters and cameras shows up and a riot ensues. Although Socrates is jailed and manhandled, he is released in three days With apologies from the mayor and police chief, and the rogue cop is let go. In line with his personal philosophy, Socrates, having accomplished his self appointed mission, gives no interviews and does his best to disappear "into the woodwork." This episode is one of the 12 linked short stories in Mosely's novel. Socrates, like his namesake, is a bit of a philosopher, but the kind who has more questions than answers. One of the big questions that he has a strong need to deal with, revolves around his own anger. He tries to deal with this omnipresent anger by participating in a discussion group and gradually bringing them around to a discussion of black anger in a white dominated society. He does, when forced to, resort to what we might call physical violence, but only when severely provoked as in the case of a young, very physical, mugger who is determined to do Socrates severe bodily harm. He does, but Socrated prevails by the end of the confrontation. I felt that Mosely, in this book, gave me some insight into what life is like for poor members of an underclass (in his books, black) in a society that seems determined to keep the class structure status quo. For this reason, along with its readability, I can recommend _WALKIN' THE DOG_ without reservation.
Rating: 
Summary: strong characters, no plot
Review: There are lots of things to admire about this book. The characterizations and settings are dead-on believable and often quite fascinating. However, not much happens in the book (much like life, I guess), no beginning-middle-end. Worst of all, the final chapter feels tacked-on, a false attempt to bring the story to a big conclusion that doesn't ring true.
Rating:
Summary: Not Up To Snuff
Review: Though I'm a big Walter Mosely fan, I was not overly impressed with his latest effort. The story was bleak until the end when Socretes stands up for himself in a non-violent manner. Until then, the characters were always angry. Some characters drifted in and out with little to say or do. I like Mosely's terse style, but I think the story could have benefited from a more desciptions. I'm waiting for the return of Easy Rawlings.
Rating:
Summary: Compelling
Review: Walter Moseley is a rare gem of a writer and thinker in an age of relativism. He uses his magnificent character Socrates Fortlow to ask the big questions--what does it mean to live a moral life? What's more, Moseley uses inner city LA to ask if such a life is possible in a setting of poverty and crime. Socrates Fortlow is one of the most compelling literary characters I've encountered in a long time and while I enjoyed "Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned" more, "Walkin' the Dog" finds a more complicated Socrates than the first time around. Moseley is a wonderful writer with an omniverously curious mind. It's a rewarding read.
Rating:
Summary: Engaging... This is among his best.
Review: Walter Mosely writes with a style that is like the blues; the melody and the words seem the same but you just love the way it sneaks up on you in a brand new way. Socrates Fortlow is a killer, a victim, a demon, and savior. If you aren't a Mosely fan you will be. For veteran Mosely fans this is must read.
Rating:
Summary: African American Male Heroes...About time!!
Review: Walter Mosley is a breath of freash air in a stagnant enviorment. His charactors are every blackman. His situations are our lives. I can barely finish one Mosley work before wishing for the next.
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