Synopses & Reviews
Over the course of three decades, noted psychologist and renowned dog expert Stanley Coren has amassed a truly remarkable collection of stories, some of which he has shared with characteristic charm in his celebrated previous books. Now, in
The Pawprints of History, the stories themselves are the focus and readers have the undiluted pleasure of sharing in Coren's unique trove. A lighthearted romp through the ages with a special eye out for man's best friend, Coren's vignettes of dogs in the great dramas of human history are a delight.
As history's great figures strut across the stage, Coren guides us from the wings, lovingly picking out the canine cameos and giving every dog of distinction its day. He vividly depicts the dogs who have played a significant role in the lives of many historical figures, and shows how their relationships with their people have directly influenced the course of world events. In this unparalleled chronicle, we see how Florence Nightingale's chance encounter with a wounded dog changed her life by leading her to the vocation of nursing. We learn why Dr. Freud's Chow Chow attended all of his therapy sessions and how the life of the Fifth Dalai Lama was saved by a dog who shared his bed. We see the obsessive love of King Charles II, who gave his spaniels hereditary titles of nobility so that they might go with him into the House of Lords. From canines who accompanied the rulers of ancient Egypt to those belonging to the presidents of the United States, dogs have been companions as well as political symbols and instruments of public relations -- including Calvin Coolidge's collie Prudence Prim, who had a cheerful collection of fancy hats, and Bill Clinton's chocolate Lab, Buddy, who made timely appearances to help his master through photo ops.
Even when the four-footed witnesses are not the decisive characters, it is gratifying to know that, for instance, in the thick of the Battle of Germantown, George Washington called a cease-fire solely to return General Howe's beloved fox terrier, who had wandered out of Howe's tent and across enemy lines. When the Earl of Wilshire's springer spaniel nipped the Pope's toe, he may not have precipitated the English Reformation, but he certainly didn't help matters.
From war to art, across the spectrum of human endeavor and achievement, there often stands, not only at his side but leading the way, man's beloved "best friend."
In this definitive collection of canine greatness, bursting with tales of famous figures and their four-legged catalysts of every breed and possible disposition, from lapdogs to four-legged warriors, from sleuthing hounds to sedentary pugs, Coren convincingly documents that wherever are found the footprints of history, there too one will find the pawprints.
Review
"These engaging, even touching stories will be a real treat for dog lovers, history buffs, and trivia addicts." Booklist
Review
"If the author had adopted a lighter tone and confined himself to amusing stories, odd coincidences, and the little-known obsessions for dogs...this volume might have been mildly entertaining. Instead, we get solemn pronouncements such as: 'Dogs do have a way of weaving their influence through human events and subtly altering the course of history.'" Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Stanley Coren is a professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia and author of
The Left-Hander Syndrome, The Intelligence of Dogs, Sleep Thieves, What Do Dogs Know?, Why We Love the Dogs We Do, and
How to Speak Dog. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The book has been illustrated with lighthearted drawings by the highly talented artist, animator, and animation director Andy Bartlett, who also lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Table of Contents
ContentsPREFACEPROLOGUE
CHAPTER 1 Sentinels and Symbols
CHAPTER 2 The Saint and the Irish Dogs
CHAPTER 3 The Angry Prince and the Welsh Dog
CHAPTER 4 The Devil Dog of the English Civil War
CHAPTER 5 The Companions of the Prussian Emperor
CHAPTER 6 The Conquistador's Dogs
CHAPTER 7 The Dogs of the Scottish Writer
CHAPTER 8 Dogs in the Opera House
CHAPTER 9 The Talking Dog
CHAPTER 10 The Dog on the Therapist's Couch
CHAPTER 11 For the Love of Dogs and Other Beasts
CHAPTER 12 The Dog Shogun
CHAPTER 13 The Dog Law and the Mary Ellen Case
CHAPTER 14 The Emperor and His Dogs of Misfortune
CHAPTER 15 Conversations with Dogs
CHAPTER 16 The Lion Dogs of the Forbidden City
CHAPTER 17 The Indian Fighter's Dogs
CHAPTER 18 The Virginia Farmer's Foxhounds
CHAPTER 19 The Dogs in the Oval Office
CHAPTER 20 The Counter-factual History of Dogs
ENDNOTESINDEX