The Best Dog In The World: Essays On Love by Alice Hoffman
With contributions from fourteen celebrated authors, The Best Dog in the World captures the full range of the canine-human connection, from the joy of welcoming a new puppy to the heartache of saying goodbye to a beloved friend.
A love letter to the loyal companions who enrich our lives and teach us about empathy, joy, and unconditional love, this anthology is the perfect gift for dog lovers everywhere, offering a blend of laughter, tears, and inspiration that will resonate with anyone who has been fur-ever touched by the love of a dog.
by Damla
“If you’re very lucky you may be honored to know a once-in-a-lifetime dog. Your familiar, your significant other, your plus-one and the love of your life, the one who knows how you feel before you do, the one who howls when you cry, who feels your pain and your joy. I was lucky, and I know it.”
Just a warning before we start: the dog dies in this one. In fact, multiple dogs. Multiple emotionally devastating (but peaceful) deaths.
Two things about me right off the bat. The first is that, as much as I adore cats, deep down in my heart of hearts, I am a dog person through and through. The second is that I never really cry (or even shed a tear) when I read or watch something. I get very sad and emotional, sure, but never to the point of actually crying. As I was reading this book, the first thing still stands, true as ever. I am once again reassured that dogs are the purest souls I have ever encountered. Every single dog is the best boy/girl, and they emanate such pure love and innocence of spirit that us humans were blessed beyond our merit with them.
The second thing, however, has changed somewhat. Because while I read this, I not only cried, but sobbed at times.
The book itself is actually a collection of short essays by well-known authors, and I set out to read one per night to give them (and my crying face) some breathing space before jumping into the next one. And it was only right that I did, because this is such a beautiful ode to these sweet creatures, reflecting on grief, love, loyalty, and surprises life holds for us all.
That being said, I think this book is not just for dog lovers but animal lovers all across the board who have experienced that kind of pure love, those sweet and surprising moments of their unique personalities, and unfortunately that bitterness of never having enough time together.
Now, if you have a pet, please go and give them a little kiss on their little heads for me. Thanks!
