Gods, Ghosts and Black Dogs: The Fascinating Folklore and Mythology of Dogs

by Stanley Coren

Gods, Ghosts and Black Dogs is a rich collection of folklore, mythology, and tall tales concerning dogs, which provide a fascinating insight into the way that humans think about dogs, and our emotional bond to our pets. The various stories include some that are spooky, some that are funny - and some that engage the same part of the mind that we use when reading detective stories, trying to figure out what is going to happen next, or solve a puzzle.The stories come from all over the world, and from many different time periods. In these captivating tales you can meet historical figures such as George Washington and Davy Crockett, and mythical beings such as Paul Bunyan, the god Zeus, and the hero Odysseus, and find out how dogs make up part of their stories. Discover how the Dalmatian got his spots, and why Basenjis don't bark. Learn whether there are dogs in heaven, and if the devil might have a dog.Facts, history, humour and mysteries blend together in this engaging collection of dog stories.

Genres: Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 16, 2016

Reviews

[Sassafras Patterdale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book - I have a deep soft spot for anything dog, and folklore is a particular fascination for me so this book was right in my sweet spots for books that will hit multiple interest points for me. Warning many of these stories were sad- i don't do well with sad dog stories, but they were handled respectfully and well. I know that many of these stories will stick with me for some time. this was a great book

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun collection of (mostly) familiar stories and dog lore passed down.