Synopses & Reviews
One day a scraggly little street dog came begging at the back door of a young American couple living in New Delhi, India. She was painfully thin, with blotches on her coat from malnutrition, and she looked as though she hadnt slept in weeks. But when the door opened, this strange little dog wagged her tail, put an endearing smile on her face, and charmed her way straight inside.
In India, shopkeepers usually shoo away wild street dogs—or worse—but this little creature was impossible to resist. She had humor, she had joie de vivre, and she had a devilish side that quickly earned her the name Zelda. And so it began: a magical odyssey that would carry this sassy urchin from the slums of India to the elegant gardens and parlors of Paris, to the sun-dappled beaches of Italy, and finally to the fabled hills and vineyards of California Wine Country. Zelda truly was “the luckiest dog in the world.”
But this is a story about far more than luck. Its a story about dignity and courage, about how a generous heart and an indomitable spirit can lift you up, change your life, and lead you to happiness and even triumph. Zelda begins life as a homeless beggar girl, but thanks to her character and panache she becomes a star, known far and wide as the Queen of Paris, and a real-life heroine you will never forget.
Review
“A grungy street dog turned world adventurer, with breeding, class, and spirit that comes from who knows where, Zelda is always out front, leading the Chutkow clan in this delightful tale from New Delhi to Paris to the wine country of Northern California. This dogs got good karma!” --Richard Mendelson, author of
Wine in America and
From Demon to Darling: A Legal History of Wine in America"Zelda is an exquisitely charming tale of redemption through the wiles of a mangy Indian slum dog. Slum dog! Yes. I read this irresistible book in one sitting, and now slum dogs are my favorite breed of mutt." --John Berendt, author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Synopsis
In India, scavenging street dogs are treated as the lowest of the low. Shopkeepers swat them with brooms. Mothers scream at them and whisk their kids out of harms way. Taxi drivers are happy to run them down. After a little time in India, you can understand why: These wild street dogs can be vicious, and many carry infections and disease, including rabies. Zelda, The Queen of Paris is the story of one such slumdog, who with grit and humor won over an American couple, escaped the New Delhi streets, and wound up being crowned The Queen of Paris.
From France, Zeldas exploits and renown spread through Italy, San Francisco, New York, and even to the dinner table of John Kenneth Galbraith, where tales of her amazing odyssey reached the heights of Harvard prestige and Kennedy glamour. Jackie Kennedy herself was known to be a Zelda fan. On first encounter, Zeldas story might sound improbable or unbelievable. But, as this book shows, she really was one of the luckiest dogs in the world.
With wonderful illustrations by J. C. Suares throughout, Zelda, The Queen of Paris is sure to delight!
Synopsis
A true story of the luckiest dog in the world.
About the Author
Paul Chutkow is an author and journalist who spent ten years reporting for the Associated Press, then served as a contributor to the arts & leisure and travel sections of the New York Times, the Indian Statesman, and Cigar Aficionado. His books include Depardieu, the biography of actor Gérard Depardieu, which Kirkus Reviews called “among the best books ever written about film acting.” Visit him at paulchutkow.com.