Ann Elwood

This collection of short stories revolves around the regulars at a dog park in southern California. I will say up front that I do not own a dog and have never been to a dog park, so I cannot comment on the accuracy of the setting. However, I don't think you really need to be a "dog person" to understand or appreciate these stories. Many of the tales are about human drama, though of course dogs play a central role in every one. One thing I noticed was how bittersweet or even downright sad show more most of the stories were. I even shed a few tears during "Not Just a Dog." The plots are well-constructed and the characters believable, but don't expect a bunch of heart-warming doggy stories. Very few have what I would consider happy endings. All, however, do have reasonably satisfying endings, and that's all I really ask of a story. I remain interested in reading more fiction from Elwood in the future. Maybe she should release a tortoise collection next. I bet she could do that well. show less

Before reading this book, I knew basically nothing about the original Rin-Tin-Tin, a German shepherd dog who starred in a number of silent films (and few talkies) in the 1920s and 30s. This is not the Rin-Tin-Tin of the famous 1950s television series, nor the considerably less famous early 1990s television series, but rather their predecessor. From his storied (and probably false) origins in war-torn France through his death and legacy, this meticulously researched examination of the first show more real (canine) movie star leaves no stone unturned. I was less interested in the plots of the films than in the society in which Rin-Tin-Tin lived, this little pocket between World War I and the Great Depression. The ASPCA was just starting to gain mainstream political clout, the first talkies were released, and journalistic integrity was still evidently largely unknown. (Seriously, the number of conflicting newspaper reports cited got a bit silly after a while.) It helps that I have a weird fascination with the turn of the 20th century to begin with, but even so, I found this study of one of the most famous non-human actors in history to be surprisingly engaging. If you are a dog-lover or have an interest in early film history, consider picking this one up. show less

Good writing, an engaging heroine, and an intriguing tale that reaches from bygone centuries to impact the present. It's so refreshing that the author does not overwhelm with the story from the past, but lets it unfold as our heroine historian discovers it. The diary she finds is laden with the right amount of information to feed the plot, but with the limited view of that individual. I appreciated that rather than fill in all the blanks (as many novice writers tend to do), the author kept show more us firmly within her central character's point of view as a historian, theorizing as to how seemingly disparate bits of information fit in the puzzle. I can definitely see this heroine showing up in additional tales.

So why did I not give it 5 stars? The final bit was less polished than the rest. Although it doesn't detract too much from overall enjoyment of the book, there's a sense that a deadline popped up too soon or that the author just got tired of writing. There are still a few copy errors and some awkward transitions. It was also a bit of a stretch that the second part of the diary is found so easily. Much better, perhaps, to have been satisfied with clues garnered from the original find (or have someone from the present steal pivotal pages that could then be retrieved/confessed). As far as taking a dog from the US to France (and returning), it would help to tick off a few of the conditions and at least muse on the hazard (pets sometimes suffer or die in transit).

Still, a highly enjoyable read that I recommend. show less

I have to admit that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes through bookrooster.com and it's a good thing that I did, otherwise I would have missed out on a good book. [[ASIN:B003PPDILK The Dog Park]] is not something I would have picked up normally, being as it's a set of 11 short stories. The difference between this set of short stories and most others? It is set focusing around the same cast of characters and the same location, a Dog Park in California.Some of show more the stories were better than others, I have to admit, but they all had a different perspective of the park. The thing I enjoyed the most about the stories is that they didn't overlap. Each story was focused on a different time period of the park, rather than telling the same story from different perspectives.If you're a dog lover, you'll probably enjoy this book. show less