I am a dog but I do not die at the end of this book. Who else could have written it? The human who found me is fine. She feeds me. She cuddles me. She puts a roof over my head. But I do not appreciate being held captive. Because I have the intelligence of a human. And I aim to find out why. Accompanied by Shakespeare, a Pug with the intelligence of a Pug, I run away from home, embarking on an epic quest for freedom, understanding, and, quite possibly, revenge. Together we must survive a harsh desert of cannibalistic coyotes, stray humans, a fugitive white tiger, and one hypnotic beacon that shines from a city of sin, luring us back into so-called civilization. My name is Rousseau. I seek the truth. Even if it means I lose my mind. Full of imagination and humor, The Second-Smartest Dog That Ever Lived is a dog book like no other, with a canine narrator who questions the value of human society, and a dog's place within it.