Dogs in the Sun [Hardcover]

Hans Silvester (Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Greece's Cyclades islands serve as the backdrop for photographer Hans Silvester's latest voyeuristic venture into the animal world, Dogs in the Sun. Ranging in age, size, color, and hair type, these roving canines--who most often travel in packs and occasionally feature a domesticated dog or two along for the ride--know their island and "do exactly as they please." From romping on the beach to chasing a cat, lounging in the sun to protecting their territory, this mass of mutts is irresistible, and Silvester expertly captures their every move. "Every curl of the tail, every angle of wind-blown fur, every bared tooth, and every last innocent twinkle of the eye is skillfully revealed," resulting in a visual celebration of both the beauty of the Mediterranean and the indomitable spirit of the dog.

Review

"'Dogs in the Sun' is a remarkable portrait of dogs living on their own in one of the most pristinely beautiful settings imaginable, the Cyclades islands of Greece. Hans Silvester, author of more than 18 photography books, photographs, including the renowned 'Cats in the Sun,' has turned his lens on their canine counterparts. Against the deep blues of the Greek sky and sea, along rugged cliffs and magnificent shorelines, dogs frolic in the surf, romp, play-fight with each other, mate and raise their pups, chase cats and otherwise enjoy their freedom with such intensity one wonders why they ever gave it up to become man's best friend." -- Chicago Tribune

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; 1st edition (October 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811822370
• ISBN-13: 978-0811822374
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,334,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Romp with the Wild Dogs of Greece, January 10, 1999

By 

kd - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dogs in the Sun (Hardcover)

Hans Silvester does an amazing job of capturing the spirit, personality and playfulness of dogs in this book. The photographs are wonderful, and the book is designed so that you can linger on each image and appreciate Silvester's skill as a photographer. I particularly enjoyed the photographic stories--sequences of images that show us dogs playing, exploring, being. I've never been to Greece, but now I feel like I have--at least to see the dogs there! Makes a beautiful coffee-table book.

17 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Animal lovers should be aware of the plight of these animals, April 5, 2001

By 

Khandarohi (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dogs in the Sun (Hardcover)

All of Hans Silvester's photography books of dogs, cats & kittens in the Greek Cyclades Island are lovely examples of fine photography. As a fine art photographer myself, I respect Mr. Silvester's level of skill and artistry, and I find his other books very beautiful.

However, when I became aware of his books about the cats and dogs, I was thoroughly dismayed by his choice of subject matter and the way he has chosen to portray the lives of these creatures as idyllic and carefree.

Having been to these Greek islands, I have learned firsthand that the large majority of these poor animals are ignored, injured, or mistreated by people there-anything but "respected." The photographer has omitted portraits of the true conditions of most of the dogs and cats in Greece-crippled, starving, dying of thirt, hurt or maimed, with the humans around them barely taking notice.

The full horror of the story was revealed to me by locals on the islands. Each year, the cats & dogs are allowed to breed uncontrolled, because tourists are fond of seeing the cute animals around the island & on the beaches. At the end of each tourist season, as many of them as possible are rounded up and killed (I couldn't bear to learn how), until the following year when the ones that survived begin the cycle all over again. I found this same story on all the islands I visited, including Mykonos, and I was so appalled that I shortened my stay and left Greece altogether.

The situation is a tragedy, and my feeling, as a photographer & animal lover, is that Mr. Silvester should not be misrepresenting the condition of cats and dogs on the Greek islands, especially when it is for monetary gain. I hope animal lovers around the world will agree, and send a message to anyone who profits in any way from the suffering of these dogs and cats in the sun.

1.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected at all, April 14, 2008

By 

Laura Hartle "Laura" (Oregon, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dogs in the Sun (Hardcover)

I bought this for my grandmother for mothers day and am returning it. Judging by the cover I was expecting a little brighter content. However, I was keeping an open mind as i flipped through it and was appreciative that it was a little more in tune with the reality of being a stray dog in greece. However, at the end there are 2 pictures of dogs mating. Thats fine, but not for grandma.