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All the Dogs of My Life
All the Dogs of My Life
Author: Elizabeth Von Arnim
'A captivating (in no way barking) autobiography. Dogs take the leading role, but it is also about troublesome husbands, wonderful houses, a surprising life' Observer First published in 1936, this is the story of Elizabeth von Arnim's extraordinary life - and her equally extraordinary dogs. From her Pomeranian idyll (celebrated in her famous fir...  more »
ISBN-13: 9781844082773
ISBN-10: 1844082776
Publication Date: 2/2/2006
Pages: 216
Rating:
  • Currently 3/5 Stars.
 1

3 stars, based on 1 rating
Publisher: Virago Press Ltd
Book Type: Paperback
Members Wishing: 1
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Leesa-Dee avatar reviewed All the Dogs of My Life on + 48 more book reviews
When she wrote this book, it was intended to be a story of her dogs and not an autobiography. And she kept to her intention, which at times made for rather awkward reading. Maybe she figured her readers would be familiar enough with her to be able to read between the lines. But I found her coy references to her own past to be rather annoying, like when she referred to the appearance of her next husband as her "doom" without ever explaining why he was her doom.
However, she is open about the mistakes she made with her dogs, like leaving one behind in Switzerland for several years and then coming back for it only to find it was dying. And having one neutered and then blaming herself when the dog became fat and lazy. Anyone who has ever had a pet should know those feeling of guilt and regret when the pets have to suffer the consequences of our decisions and failures to act.

Anyway, it was a pretty good book written by a woman who truly did love her dogs even if she made some mistakes along the way. But who hasn't?
She was also the author of Enchanted April, which was made into a very fine movie in the early 1990s.


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