"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." - Groucho Marx
Dogs and writers seem to belong together like bread and butter: you can't one without the other... well, not really. From John Steinbeck's poodle Charley and Philip Pullman's cockapoos, to Mr Rochester's Pilot and the faithful Argos of Homer's Odyssey, we have all grown up with a dog - whether real or fictional - there is a certain rightness to the pairing. And as valuable as they are in terms of companionship, dogs can occasionally make shrewd editors. In this book, we'll meet more than one pooch who has seen fit to devour part of a manuscript, obliging the author to try again, no doubt improving on the original.
Rediscover the joy of childhood friends and much-loved pets with this selection of quotes and passages from poems and stories that celebrate some of the most memorable and best-loved dogs in literature. A Literary Dog for Every Day of the Year is a must-have for all dog and book lovers, this inspirational collection is the perfect gift for canine connoisseurs to treasure all year long.
Highlight's include:
- January: Burns Night, Science Fiction Day and a tribute to one of Lord Byron's greatest loves: his dog, Boatswain
- February: Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day and more than a few Dalmations
- March: World Book Day, Mother's Day and quick trip to space aboard Sputnik II
- April: Easter, Happy birthday William Shakespeare and the dog of the day: Sergeant Murphy, the police officer pooch in Richard Scarry's beloved Busytown
- May: Mental Health Month, Mother's Day (US) and a short visit with Toto and Dorothy
- June: Father's Day, dog of the day: Rollo from the Outlander series and a brief musing from Charles Dickens
- July: Happy birthday Marcel Proust, and spend some time with Lynley Dodd and Shirley Hughes
- August: International Dog Day, Happy birthday Tove Jansson and step into Tolkien's The Fellowship of the Ring
- September: Direwolves, crime capers and canine of the day: Timothy, the fifth member of the Famous Five
- October: Happy Halloween, read some spooky passages from Edgar Allen Poe, them sit a spell with Pilot, from Jane Eyre
- November: Daydream with Snoopy, snuggle in with Nana and set on an adventure with the space-travelling Kazak
- December: Meet Max, companion to the foul-tempered Grinch, cast a spell with Coal and the dog of the day: Pug, the endlessly spoilt lapdog from Mansfield Park
Also available in the series: A Literary Cat for Every Day of the Year
