Author Description

In the tradition of Marley and Me, an anthology of essays about the world’s oldest friendship.In the introduction to this canine-themed anthology, Elizabeth Marshall Thomas writes that few books truly capture the essence of dogs; Woof! being the rare exception. Pithy observations and heartfelt confessions from the acclaimed writers who love them lay bare the relationship of human and dog. Original personal essays include Rick Bass’s poignant tale about the week his hunting dog, Point, was given a fatal prognosis. Abigail Thomas writes about the hilarious maneuvering it takes to share a bed with three dogs. 2007 National Book Award winner Denis Johnson gives voice to The Colonel, his bullmastiff, who recounts a day in his and Johnson’s lives. And editor Lee Montgomery describes life with a schnauzer that masturbates with clockwork regularity.Like the memoirs Marley and Me and Dog Years, Woof! probes the sometimes tumultuous, often selfless love affair between dogs and their human companions. At times irreverent and funny, at others heartbreaking, Woof! is sure to become part of the literary canon of animal writing.