Dave Ihlenfeld

Many of us have been thrust into a similarly difficult stage of life as "Dog Days" author, Dave Ihlenfeld. Graduated from college, attempting to find our bearings and needing to find some direction, that might eventually help to determine how we are going to approach our future.

Unlike Ihlenfeld, few of us are presented with as unique and entertaining of an opportunity as driving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, making public appearances and doing guerilla marketing for one of the most popular brands of processed meat products in the world.

In Ihlenfield's book, the author alternates chapters in which he provides a company history of Oscar Mayer meats and tells us the history of the Wienermobile (which has now been a visible company promotional symbol for over 60 years) with anecdotes about how his trials and tribulations, pursuit of love, and unintentional exploits helped him to grow up and find himself, after stepping tenuously into the adult world.

Most interestingly, the author, who applied for the job because he had nothing else planned after finishing college, actually thrived in the job, even if he didn't possess the same irrepresible enthusiasm of his many fellow "HotDoggers".

Ultimately, he was selected to drive the Wienermobile in Europe, which provides a fitting conclusion to his hilarious, yet heartfelt journey as a Wienermobile driver.… (meer)