The memoir, which will be launched on International Dog Day (Monday, August 26, 2024), documents Baines’ remarkable journey from the bustling kitchens of Sweden’s most popular restaurant scene, to the tranquil cassava fields of Bang Saen, Thailand. The Swedish entrepreneur quit his successful culinary career to open a nonprofit rescue and rehabilitation center for stray dogs.
Opened in 2017, the TMTRD Sanctuary now has 1,000 dogs in its care, housing 750+ rescues (including 50 TikTok-famous paralyzed dogs affectionately nicknamed The Wheelchair Mafia); whilst also monitoring and feeding an additional 400 stray dogs. Baines’ book explores the many heartwarming success stories of the dogs that have been rescued, treated and adopted to find their forever homes, as well as the positive development of pet culture in Thailand.
In a deeply honest and moving account, Baines also opens up on the challenges of his own life, namely his personal struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. After somehow finding himself working for the Yugoslavian Mafia in Sweden, the chef became caught up in the dangerous world of drugs, chasing highs to ward off his demons, before he was delivered a life-changing ultimatum.
“It’s a damn good book… The first I’ve read in 10 years, in fact,” Baines joked. “It is the story of my life, but more importantly, it’s the story of my dogs’ lives – they’re far more interesting and inspiring than I am, and I hope readers agree.”
“Home. Made.” marks the first production of Witchcraft, an all-female start-up working to bring funding to nonprofits on the front lines of social change through the art and power of books. The memoir will be available to purchase online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Books-A-Million, Target, Walmart, and in libraries across the country. For more information, visit heywitchcraft.com to sign up for updates.
