The hugely illuminating story of how a popular breed of dog became the most demonized and supposedly the most dangerous of dogs—and what role humans have played in the transformation. When Bronwen Dickey brought her new dog home; she saw no traces of the infamous viciousness in her affectionate; timid pit bull. Which made her wonder: How had the breed—beloved by Teddy Roosevelt; Helen Keller; and Hollywood’s “Little Rascalsâ€â€”come to be known as a brutal fighter? Her search for answers takes her from nineteenth-century New York City dogfighting pits—the cruelty of which drew the attention of the recently formed ASPCA—to early twentieth‑century movie sets; where pit bulls cavorted with Fatty Arbuckle and Buster Keaton; from the battlefields of Gettysburg and the Marne; where pit bulls earned presidential recognition; to desolate urban neighborhoods where the dogs were loved; prized—and sometimes brutalized. Whether through love or fear; hatred or devotion; humans are bound to the history of the pit bull. With unfailing thoughtfulness; compassion; and a firm grasp of scientific fact; Dickey offers us a clear-eyed portrait of this extraordinary breed; and an insightful view of Americans’ relationship with their dogs.
#412088 in Books 2012-12-11 2012-12-11Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.98 x .69 x 5.18l; .70 #File Name: 0307742601336 pages
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. The Final Word on Eva BraunBy Luis EscobarIf you are looking for a wonderful narrative of Eva Braun's life similar in quality to Manchester's biography of Winston Churchill; don't hold your breath. As Gortemaker documents in this wonderful *historical study*; Braun and other top Nazis from the bunker crowd ordered almost all of her (and Hitler's) personal correspondence burned during the final days of the Reich. Although some documents survived the war; it is probably now impossible to craft a pleasing narrative of her life in the style of other great; READABLE; biographies.Gortemaker's work is a "biography" in name only. More accurately; it is a historical analysis of the documentation available about Eva Braun. The reason why it is a critical must-read is because Gortemaker systematically analyses the giant constellation of theses ("myths") that have emerged in the aftermath of the fall of the Third Reich; and she blows them away. Her work obliterates these theses not only for Eva Braun; but also for Hitler; Speer; and many others. Although it is sad that one does not walk away from this book with the satisfied feeling of having experienced the narrative of Braun's life; you will be delighted to obtain a completely new perspective on the atmosphere of Hitler's intimate court. Gortemaker certainly projects a much more interesting; nuanced; complex; and *infinitely* multifaceted characterization of Braun; and in doing so; she also reveals dudes like Speer to be even much more devious than Dan Van Der Vat's final exposé already accomplished. Gortemaker forcefully made me realize that just because some Nazi said it after the war; doesn't mean there is an ounce of truth in the statement. One aspect that was really very welcome was that her treatise humanizes Hitler. Of course; he was the perpetrator of the Holocaust. However; it is so casually demonized and caricatured; that it is sometimes hard to remember that he was just a regular old human being.If you are interested in getting an authentic understanding of the life of Hitler's court; and a sophisticated perspective on the personalities of the members of that court; this is a must read.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Interesting look at the social inner circle surrounding HitlerBy Bruce MillerI had read a review of this book in the NYT Sunday Book review several months ago and purchased it based on that recommendation. It was interesting; informative; but a bit too academic for my interests. The author liberally used references to other author's research and published books and then drew her own conclusions. Whether or not Eva Braun took a train on a particular day was not something that I was interested in; rather; I would have enjoyed more on the personal relationships. The book did not disappoint in portraying an interesting picture of Hitler and his lifestyle of being withdrawn into a very close circle of associates who were all "yes men and woman". I also found it interesting how he manipulated finances and created government entities to support his personal lifestyle with Eva Braun and others around him. I did not know how reclusive he was until I read this book. It provided a very intimate glimpse into the day to day lifestyle of the psychopath; Hitler as well as his enablers; in particular Eva Braun. It was a book worth reading; but perhaps a little too pedantic for my tastes. I wasn't disappointed by the information presented; I just thought that it was a little over validated by too many references to the research of others.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. As much about the war as about Eva Braun; ...By cora mayAs much about the war as about Eva Braun; but seeing how she was almost a fly on the wall; it stands to reason.
