deeply moving Whenever I look at a dog, I don’t see an animal—I see a gentle soul just looking for love and affection and their little place in this cruel world. I have half a dozen dogs, and I know. That’s why Irvin Cannon’s book, ‘For the Love of Dog Tales’ hit me where it matters most—at the center of my heart.I found Cannon’s book right after I finished reading Garth Stein’s ‘The Art of Racing in the Rain’, and I was in that frame of mind in which I need to read more books about dogs, written by a skilful author who has the uncanny ability to get under their skin. And if you’re like me who read and loved Stein’s book, then perhaps it’s fair to say that you will love ‘For the Love of Dog Tales’ even better—even at the risk of comparing apples to oranges, I’d still say Cannon has that rare power to make you cry—and I mean that in the most positive sense—as Cannon weaves each of these stories like they were a giant hand that sweeps you away and throws you into your emotional depths.It’s not easy to review a book like this because the emotions get in the way, but let me point out a few important aspects. One, author Cannon has successfully captured the essence of being a dog—you almost see and “feel” each individual, from Brisk to Robbie, their personalities distinct, their respective issues fleshed out carefully, meticulously, and with more than enough emotional gravitas to leave you teary-eyed. Brisk’s story, for instance, is enough to compel or move you to keep reading and is simply the perfect opener for the book—it is a tragic-heroic tale that dropped my jaws and helped me recall the many times I observed a similar behaviour in my own dogs. But that’s just for starters—this is a full-length book, not a hastily written thing you commonly find these days, and you’ll soon discover that each of the story will touch your heart in its own way—from German Shepherd Helena’s story of struggle amid a male-dominated world to Robbie the mutt’s story of love and compassion.Overall, ‘For the Love of Dog Tales’ is a book that is simply unforgettable and unputdownable for its depth and scope and the uncanny way the author has given our canine loved ones their voice. If you love dogs, or if you know anyone who loves dogs, read this book or send this as a gift—truly an astonishing literary treat. One caveat: if you easily get teary-eyed, better read this somewhere private. Five solid stars for this one.
