Dogs in Books

As the saying goes, dogs are man's best friend. Since the Stone Age, our canine companions have been illustrated, described, dramatized, and eulogized in one form or another. Dogs in Books celebrates the role of dogs in literature, featuring more than thirty famous dogs, from Tintin's white Wire Fox Terrier Snowy, to Lassie, Toto, and Snoopy, as well as dogs from Shakespeare, Jack London, Rudyard Kipling, Charles Dickens, and many more well-known authors.

Culled from the British Library's incomparable archives, Dogs in Books features illustrations from rare editions of classic literature and contemporary renderings from popular books. Odysseus had his faithful dog Argos and King Lear's pack of dogs barked away at him as if warning him. From narrating an entire story to rescuing our hero, these dogs are critical characters in these books, demonstrating the timelessness of our undying love and respect for dogs and proving that they have always been more than just a pet.

Catherine Britton is Senior Editor at the British Library.