Buster's Diaries: The True Story of a Dog and His Man [Hardcover]

Roy Hattersley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2000

In 1996, Buster, a half-German Shepherd mutt, was attacked by a goose in a public park. He defended himself-much to the detriment of the goose-who, unfortunately, was owned by the Queen, and Buster was brought up on charges. Grossly misrepresented by the media, he became an instant celebrity. Eager to present his side of the story, he dictated his diaries to his Man, the lord who had adopted him a year earlier. The result is a delightfully funny, sometimes touching romp through Buster's triumph over adversity, some dog psychology, the odd training rituals the Man performs, the pain of his puppyhood, and, ultimately, a dog's joy at owning a human.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School-Buster, a crossbred Straffordshire bullterrier, tells his story in such a convincing voice that readers will soon forget that other name on the title page. He relates the trials and tribulations of a dog's life in London in the mid-1990s with grace and humor, offering insight into The Man he owns, as well as She whom The Man must obey. It's not an easy life, especially at first, but Buster is a fast learner and soon manages to temper the blood of the tundra wolf that roars through his veins. He discovers that defending oneself against an attacking goose (one that happens to belong to the Queen) can have serious consequences, not the least of which is misrepresentation in the press and instant celebrity. Although not intended to be a serious treatment of animal psychology, Buster's Diaries may serve as a spot-on treatment of human psychology, at least from a canine perspective. For anyone who ever wondered what a dog is thinking when a human rants on about discipline, training, and exercise, this book is a gem. A delightfully funny tale for all ages, dog fanciers or not.-Robert Saunderson, Berkeley Public Library, CA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Pet "memoirs" can often be silly, but certainly not this one. Books purporting to tell an animal's story in its own "voice" are often simply too gimmicky and cute to be taken seriously. British writer Hattersley tells the story of his dog, Buster, as if through Buster's own consciousness and voice, and it is actually a charming tale, one that seems "authentic." Hattersley has a knack for investing Buster with a perfect mix of human savvy and canine unknowingness. Buster relates his life story as "the account of an odyssey which took a crossbreed orphan from living rough on a public park to the comfort and security of South West London." The most troubling moment in Buster's rags-to-riches life was the time when he killed a goose in St. James' Park, which brought him trouble but also fame. Buster is sanguine about his lot in life. Granted, he is "domesticated and need[s] to be reminded of the wolf that sleeps inside [him]," but that situation "means that almost everybody loves [him]." Brad Hooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 187 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books; First Printing edition (October 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446526622
• ISBN-13: 978-0446526623
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,341,343 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It is a precious book, September 28, 2000

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Buster's Diaries : The True Story of a Dog and His Man (Audio Cassette)

Even before he became England's most famous dog, Buster kept a diary as he moved from home to home with an occasional stop or two at the pound. From his many first paw observations, Buster finds the psychology of humans quite interesting although somewhat confusing, before settling on one particular Man to be his pet.

Skipping the pre-game passages, Buster has become famous (or perhaps infamous) due to one silly goose. Minding his business while strolling in St. James' Park in 1996, Buster was checking out trees and bushes when a goose tried to cook him with a vicious attack. Defending himself, he kills his dastardly foe only to learn the goose had regal protection from Queen Elizabeth II. Buster's trial on the charge of homicide becomes a media circus that leaves the canine shaken by humanity's ability to reinterpret the facts to meet their needs. Instead of simple self-defense, Buster is accused of being a cold-blooded killing half wolf. Buster explains that everyone should know that dogs and wolves are warm-blooded creatures.

BUSTER'S DIARIES: The True Story of a Dog and His Man is a wonderful ironic look at the relationship between a person and a dog. The amusing diary is fun as Buster relates his life to Roy Hattersley in an impudent, sassy, but humorous way. Canine lovers and fans of satires like Penguin Island will enjoy the look of life through the eyes of a canine.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is Great!!!!!, May 30, 2002

By 

Alysia (FairHaven, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Buster's Diaries: The True Story of a Dog and His Man (Hardcover)

I loved this book. It caught my attention and had me roped in until the very last word. Personally I do not like to read at all, it is one of my least favorite things to do, but I really enjoyed this book. It was about a dog-named Buster and his owner. Buster was an adopted dog who was lucky to be placed in a loving house with the famous journalist Roy Hattersley. Buster lived in London and their he started his diaries. Poor Buster had some mishaps during his life, one which involved a goose that the queen clamed was hers but this incident made Buster famous. This book is easy to understand and could entertain almost any age from children to adults. Over all it is a great story with lots of little surprises along the way.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun for all- Even cat lovers and children, May 7, 2002

By 

P. Cunningham "Amazon Fan" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Buster's Diaries: The True Story of a Dog and His Man (Paperback)

I am reading this book with my 11 year old son, he a dog lover and I a cat lover. However, we both adore Buster. His releationship to his "man" is endering and the dogs antics are so funny. Funnist but tender is the authors understanding of the releationship as it unfolds between a young dog and his owner.
Wish Buster would write more books!