Dog’s Best Friend

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Critics Review

A witty celebration of the long-lasting dog/human relationship . . . There are some extraordinary facts in this book

THE TIMES

From the Queen’s corgi named Rozavel Lucky Strike to Donald Trump being terrorised by a poodle, this love letter to our four-legged friends is a delight . . . there is a good joke, an intriguing tale or a fascinating statistic on every page

MAIL ON SUNDAY

Garfield exudes a puppyish persona, his prose is bouncy and his dog facts digestible . . . [a] fact-packed history of a 15,000-year relationship

THE SUNDAY TIMES

A glorious new celebration of man’s best friend . . . [a] moving and invigorating study of all things canine

DAILY MAIL

A treat . . . [a] charming and erudite book on the mutually rewarding relationship between Homo sapiens and Canis lupus familiaris

DAILY TELEGRAPH

In the latest fun, excursive contribution to an eclectic oeuvre, this author explores the bond between humans and the dogs who love us and walk us, guard and rescue us

SAGA

DOG’S BEST FRIEND is as fascinating, funny and wise as we’ve come to expect from Simon Garfield. More than that, it’s a book that asks profound questions about what it means to be canine

ANDY MILLER, author THE YEAR OF READING DANGEROUSLY

Funny, fascinating and endearing – this is a book that will make your tail wag

KATE HUMBLE

A fascinating, informative and highly entertaining expedition through the highways and byways of dogdom

JOHN BRADSHAW, author of IN DEFENCE OF DOGS

Byron, Sassoon, Woolf, Charles Schulz . . . many have managed to express the love we have for our dogs, but until now, no one has adequately explained it. Simon Garfield has written a book every owner will lap up with the same delight and enthusiasm their Fido would a discarded box of fried chicken. That is to say, with great pleasure

KATE SPICER, author of LOST DOG

A wise and witty alternative history of humanity . . . Interesting and somewhat unusual

PLATINUM MAGAZINE

Starting with ancient cave paintings and taking the reader on a journey from Buckingham Palace to the Soviet space program before heading into the genome lab, the book invites testimony from breeders, psychoanalysts, and pooch lovers the world over in its quest to work out the secrets behind the astonishing human-and-beast bond. A joy!

WOMAN & HOME, best non-fiction books of 2021

A romp through the history of our relationship with dogs, packed with fascinating facts and heart-warming tales of loyalty and derring-do. Discover how our canine companions help heal us, where designer dog trends began and more

WOMAN'S WEEKLY

Witty, probing, and spot-on . . . With emotional acuity, DOG’S BEST FRIEND leaves the reader acknowledging that Canis lupus familiaris will always be a mixed bag of ancestry and characters while maintaining an unflinching connection with us

American Kennel Club

This engaging study, by turns wry, ironic and poignant, goes from prehistory to now. By the end – even though the dog comes when you call – you wonder who really is in charge

SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

In this well-researched and absorbing narrative, written with the same enthusiasm that characterized JUST MY TYPE and ON THE MAP, Garfield explores the human-dog relationship with humor, intelligence, and warmth . . . A dog fancier’s delight

KIRKUS REVIEWS

If you have a dog in your life, Simon Garfield’s Dog’s Best Friend will make you laugh with recognition, cry at the pity of it all, and leave you feeling like you’ve just had your belly rubbed. As refreshing and restorative as a good walk

D.D. GUTTENPLAN, Editor, The Nation

Garfield is like the schoolteacher who made the time fly, a one-man Blue Peter team for intelligent adults, a great British explainer

OBSERVER

Garfield has a genius for being sparked to life by esoteric enthusiasm and charming readers with his delight

THE TIMES

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