Woof

Starred review from October 10, 2005
Many of these pictures will make you smile, and some will make you laugh, but this is more than just a collection of cute doggie pix. They are portraits in the full sense of the word: whether posed or impromptu, each image reveals something true about a particular dog or about dogs in general. Erwitt, a veteran photographer and member of Magnum, offers simple truths: "Living with a dog is messy"; "A dog teaches a boy fidelity." His pooches, in all shapes and sizes, are pensive and playful, reflective and active; they zestfully leap into a lake or lie belly up in a grassy field, enjoying a lovely day. Unlike William Wegman's dog photos, Erwitt's don't rely on props or costumes, though two supercool Dalmatians in goggles do make an arresting pair. Even if you're not a dedicated dog lover, this book will charm you. Woof!

November 15, 2005
Anyone who has owned a dog will rejoice in this wonderful collection of canine candids. Erwitt is a master photographer, as his years at Magnum can attest, and here captures a subject very close to his heart. The images are funny and touching, silly and moving: an elegant lady clad in modish clothes, holding the leashes of an ascending array of dogs and with a -pooper scooper - dangling from her hand like the most current trend in handbags; an Alsatian held by a man with a mask that resembles the dog's face (does one really begin to look like one's pet?); and, of course, the eternal dog vs. cat image. Some dog owners' favorite stories are included in the introduction by Trudie Styler, but it's Erwitt's photographs that tell the entire tale. With the eye of an artist and the soul of a dog lover, he provides a glimpse into the eons-long relationship between humans and their dogs. A charming book for all dog lovers and for those ready to be converted." -Paula Frosch, Metropolitan Museum of Art Lib., New York"

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