May 16th is National Biographer’s Day, a day to honor to books written to tell the story of another person’s life. Many biographers, however, have chosen four-legged subjects for their biographies. Instead of telling the fascinating life stories of humans, they focus their energies on writing about the amazing lives of famous and almost-famous dogs. If you are looking for a good book to read with your pup curled up on your lap, then may we suggest these Top 8 Dog Biography Books?
8. I Toto: The Autobiography Of Terry, The Dog Who Was Toto by Willard Carroll
If you love The Wizard of Oz—and let’s face it, who doesn’t? —then you will want to add I Toto to your summer reading list. Willard Carroll tells his readers about the scrappy little Cairn Terrier named Terry who landed the role of a lifetime as Toto in the 1939 blockbuster The Wizard of Oz. The book includes more than 150 photos of Terry and her famous human co-stars, including Judy Garland. Terry’s life was a true rags-to-riches story. The talented pooch rose above her tragic and heartbreaking puppy days to become a Hollywood star. You’ll want to get this book…and your little dog, too!
7. Until Tuesday: A Wounded Warrior And The Golden Retriever Who Saved Him By Bret Witter and Luis Carlos Montalvan
Tuesday is a remarkable Golden Retriever. He was trained to work with disabled people and previously worked in a jail and at a facility for troubled boys. He was an expert at his job, but he moved from patient to patient so he had trouble bonding with humans—until he was assigned to work with Luis Montalvan. After two tours of duty in Iraq, Montalvan was sent home with accolades and honors for his service, along with post-traumatic stress disorder, physical pain, and a traumatic brain injury. Montalvan was ready to give up on life until Tuesday came along. Together the amazingly astute Tuesday and the troubled Montalvan learn to heal each other.
6. The Incredible Life Of Balto By Meghan McCarthy
Balto became a household name after he successfully led a dogsled team through the snowy frontier of Alaska to bring lifesaving medicine to help the people of Nome. What happened after his heroic run was even more remarkable. Hollywood came calling and Balto starred in a movie about his life. He even had a statue erected in his honor. Meghan McCarthy’s biography of Balto covers all of these episodes, but also details Balto’s life after all the hoopla died down.
5. Always Faithful: A Memoir Of The Marine Dogs Of World War II By William W. Putney
When William W. Putney entered the Marines during World War II, the young, twenty-three-year-old veterinarian was placed in charge of a dog platoon and, later, he became the head of the War Dog Training School. He saw first-hand the heroic deeds of the Marines’ war dogs, which makes him the ideal person to write the biographies of some of these brave and valuable dogs of World War II and the incredible sacrifices they made. For dog lovers, this often-unknown chapter of history is a must read.
4. A Famous Dog’s Life: The Story Of Gidget, America’s Most Beloved Chihuahua By Rennie Dyball and Sue Chipperton
Remember the popular Taco Bell commercials of the late 1990s that starred a spunky little chihuahua? That darling dog was Gidget, an animal actress. Rennie Dyball and Sue Chipperton’s biography follows the fabulous life story of Gidget, from the Taco Bell campaign to her friendship with another chihuahua named Mooni, who starred in the Legally Blonde movies with Reese Witherspoon. Gidget hobnobbed with the rich and famous and lived a glamourous, and the book’s authors detail her Hollywood success story in a humorous and heartwarming manner.
3. Rin Tin Tin: The Life And The Legend By Susan Orleans
Susan Orleans’ epic biography follows the amazing and diverse life of Rin Tin Tin, from an orphaned puppy to household name. As a newborn pup, Rin Tin Tin survived the bombing of Europe in WWI and became the loyal companion of an American soldier. Following the war, Rin Tin Tin travelled to California and caught the eye of the fledgling movie industry. The handsome and talented dog starred in two dozen silent movies and, at one time, was Hollywood’s biggest box office draw. This biography tells how Rin Tin Tin because the best-known hero dog of the 20th century.
2. Marley And Me: Live And Love With The World’s Worst Dog By John Grogan
In his bestselling doggie biography, John Grogan outlines the wildly-chaotic life of Marley, a yellow lab with a knack for trouble, an impulsive attitude, and an enormous capacity for love. Marley showed his family that some dogs may be rambunctious, destructive, and downright naughty, but still love their family unconditionally. Grogan’s book was so well-received that, in 2008, it was made into a hit movie starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston.
1. Hero Dogs: How A Pack Of Rescues, Rejects, And Strays Became America’s Greatest Disaster-Search Partners By Wilma Melville and Paul Lobo
When Wilma Melville and her search and rescue dog helped look for victims in the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, there were only a handful of government-certified search-and-rescue dogs. She vowed to train at least 168 dogs—one for each victim of the Oklahoma City bombing. Little did she know that just six years later, the dogs in her National Disaster Search Dog Foundation were called on to search the rubble of the World Trade Center in the days following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Hero Dogs tells the amazing, profoundly sad, and inspiring story of the search-and-rescue dogs that worked alongside rescuers and firefighters at the site of the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history.
On National Biographer’s Day, remember the numerous dog biographers who have worked to bring the remarkable life stories of man’s best friends to the pages of books. If you are looking for your next read, consider these Top 8 Dog Biography Books.