Customer Reviews

The Dog in the Picture

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The authors of this slim volume have collected some charming old photographs of people with their dogs. Identifying the subjects was nearly impossible, so while they sometimes had a date to go with the picture, they rarely had much more. So, they paired the photographs with quotations from diaries and memoirs, seeking to more fully describe the meaning of the picture. Unfortunately, and surprisingly for historians, the quotations are often from another time period. I wish they had trusted the images to tell their own story. I also wish there was some kind of informed presentation about human relationships with dogs over time. Veterinary practices were much different at the turn of the century for example, and certainly impacted how animals were treated and regarded. The formatting of the pages is visually awkward, and sometimes the reproduction of the photograph could have been more skillful. This is a cute coffee table presentation, but not much more.

The book is interesting and I loved the photographs, however there is little information about the photographs leaving the reader to speculate.

It's lovely to see that dogs had their healing effect on humans not only recently, when so many people are getting dogs, but throughout the years, at least since photography was invented. This book must have been a lot of work to collect so many nice photos. Many of the photos make you smile. This is my second favorite dog book after Paws & Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs, which is about the scientific evidence that our bond with our dogs is healing to us.Paws & Effect: The Healing Power of Dogs

The Brackman sisters have done a wonderful job researching and organizing the way in which American families have incorporated man's best friend into their family. This book is a MUST GIFT for anyone who loves dogs, has a dog, or wants one. The Brackmans have created an interesting piece of American history through their tasteful use of pictures and words.