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The bestsellling author of A Year in Provence and Hotel Pastis now surveys his territory from a differnt vantage point: the all-fours perspective of his dog, Boy—"a dog whose personality is made up of equal parts Boswell and Dr. Johnson, Mencken and A. A. Milne" (Chicago Sun-Times). Enhanced by 59 splendidly whimsical drawings by Edward Koren.
Peter Mayle's newest book centers around the exploits of the author's beloved dog, Boy, who made his starring debut in A Year in Provence. A terrific reading experience and a perfect gift, A Dog's Life is illustrated throughout with 60 original drawings by popular New Yorker cartoonist Ed Koren. Animals
Peter Mayle spent fifteen years in the advertising business, first as a copywriter and then as a reluctant executive, before escaping Madison Avenue in 1975 to write educational books for children. In 1990, Mr. Mayle published A Year in Provence, which became an international bestseller. He is also the author of Toujours Provence, Hotel Pastis, Encore Provence, Anything Considered and Chasing Cezanne. In addition to writing books which have been translated into more than twenty languages, Mayle has contributed to the Sunday Times, Financial Times, Independent, GQ and Esquire. He and his wife and two dogs live in the South of France.
dogcrazy
Posted Wed Dec 05 00:00:00 EST 2012
Every sentence of this book will make you smile, if not chuckle. What a pleasure--a truly delightful book!!! I read a copy from my local library; now I am buying my own copy, plus one for my parents. If you love dogs and humor, get this book----you will NOT regret it!!!!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.puppycare
Posted Mon Oct 10 00:00:00 EDT 2011
This book is a bit dated now in some ways, France and the world have moved on, but everything about the dog is timeless. Mayle is a wonderful observer and a great translator of canine behavior.
If you love dogs, and intelligent and sympathetic writing about a dog who is all dog and not a substitute human or child you should thoroughly enjoy this book and have a lot of laughs.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
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Posted Mon Mar 13 00:00:00 EST 2000
One of my favorite books! If you have or ever had a dog you love, you'll see him in this book. 'Boy', the main character is witty, a little fresh, and quite lovable. I only wish Peter Mayle would let Boy speak again in another book!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Buttered-Toast
Posted Fri Oct 10 00:00:00 EDT 2014
I5 Bones for this classic canine story
have been a fan of Peter Mayle for a while. A Dog’s Life is different from his usual writing style but I thoroughly enjoyed it. This story is told from the dog’s point of view. It seems like a very accurate accounting of what I think dog’s reactions may be. But then I tend to give my dogs more credit regarding their thought processes and adding human emotion.
“Boy” was a pup with an unhappy childhood. He was chained outside with barely any shelter and had a cruel owner. When he was taken hunting he proved to inefficient at that task as he was afraid of gunfire. I was becoming truly sad when I read how he was abandoned. The cruel owner took him for a car ride, pulled the dog from the car and hurled a piece of meat into the weeds. The dog took off for the meat and the owner drove off, abandoning the poor dog to fend for himself.
The dog roamed the countryside, eating scraps when he could find anything and eventually went into a city to beg for food and company. Each time he followed someone it seemed they may take him in but he was always shooed away in the end. Finally, on one of his trips roaming the roadside, a kind lady stopped the car and offered him a ride. This is the beginning of Boy’s good fortune.
The kind lady and her husband are none other than Peter Mayle and his wife. They dubbed the dog Boy and took him in. What a wonderful life Boy had living in the Provence countryside, wandering from the kitchen to the local woods and then writing his memoirs. Boy provides us with his observations of his new owners (he calls them management), thoughts on hygiene habits of various nationalities who visit the French cottage, cats, meals and wine.
The drawings in the book were done by Edward Koren and are perfect for all the stories. I liked this book very much and it’s a very quick read. It’s humorous, it’s set in Provence France and offers a good storyline – what’s not to like.
5 Bones for this classic canine story. Let’s share a white Bordeaux in honor of Boy’s fine accommodations in the Provence countryside. It’s always nice to read a happy ending.
Anonymous
Posted Tue Jul 09 00:00:00 EDT 2013
AARRGGHH! The kit got adopted into the lightning clan! I think we should attack it with all our warriors. Go to warrior res. 1 and there is a sign up there for the lightning clan. It will tell you how to go there.
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Overview
The bestsellling author of A Year in Provence and Hotel Pastis now surveys his territory from a differnt vantage point: the all-fours perspective of his dog, Boy—"a dog whose personality is made up of equal parts Boswell and Dr. Johnson, Mencken and A. A. Milne" (Chicago Sun-Times). Enhanced by 59 splendidly whimsical drawings by Edward Koren.
Peter Mayle's newest book centers around the exploits of the author's beloved dog, Boy, who made his starring debut in A ...