Some of us just "feel incomplete without the company of a dog or two," Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Edward Albee admits in this timeless tribute to beloved dogs by some of the nation's most beloved writers.

A literary "best of show," Dogs We Love features a pedigree lineup. Bob Shacochis endures the tribulations of remaking a one-dog into a two-dog household (and along the way offers his own "rules of the table" for humans and dogs). Jane Smiley (another Pulitzer Prize winnner) muses over her retriever's mark of genius: her relentless pursuit of the tennis ball. New Yorker cartoonist Danny Shanahan provides an illustrated guide on your dog's body language, including how to understand "the twitch," "the cocked-head," and "jumping up on guests" (dogs like the feel of fabrics, as it turns out!). Ann Beattie debates upgrading from "occasional dog sitter" to full-time dog owner. Arthur Yorinke recounts the dramatic rescue of his blind border collie as a hurricane prepares to batter the Nova Scotia coastline: "When it comes to dogs," he concludes, "even true stories are miracles." With a veritable dog park of sheepdogs, malamutes, papillons, bulldogs, and magnificent mutts, Dogs We Love is sure to include your dog, whether in breed or in spirit.

The eloquence of the authors' stories, combined with the humorous, endearing, and sometimes mysterious photographs of Robin Schwartz, makes Dogs We Love a captivating, charming testament to our companionship with dogs: it's a must-have for those of us who share our lives with one or more of America's 75 million dogs, and whose ears know no sweeter music than the barking of our own.

What we love about our dogs.

Some of us just "feel incomplete without the company of a dog or two," as Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Edward Albee puts it in this timeless collection of great writing about dogs. In fact, millions of us wouldn't dream of living without dogs, none more so than the renowned dog-devoted authors of Dogs We Love. From Ann Beattie debating whether to upgrade from "occasional dog sitter" to full-time dog owner to Bob Shacochis fretting over how to welcome a second dog into a one-dog household, these 18 tributes convey with wit, insight, and passion the love that makes the bond between dogs and dog-people so powerful. Accompanied by the humorous, endearing photographs of Robin Schwartz, Dogs We Love gives image and voice to the enduring, undiluted emotions that our canine companions inspire.

Michael J. Rosen has written, edited, or illustrated a veritable kennel of books, including Workman's Kids' Best Dog Book; Artisan's Horse People, Fishing with Dad, and My Bug; and The Dog Department: James Thurber on Hounds, Scotties, and Talking Poodles and May Contain Nuts: A Very Loose Canon of American Humor. Many of his anthologies have supported humane efforts through the Company of Animals Fund, which he founded in 1990. He lives with his pack on 100 acres in central Ohio.

Publisher: Artisan
Distributor: Barnes and Noble
Publication Date: 04-01-2008
Pages: 176
Measurements: 7.30in X 6.30in X .82in X 1.02lb