Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend - Softcover

Orlean, Susan

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1594135614 ISBN 13: 9781594135613

Publisher: Large Print Pr, 2012

Synopsis

"He believed the dog was immortal."""

"S"o begins Susan Orlean's sweeping, powerfully moving account of Rin Tin Tin's journey from orphaned puppy to movie star and international icon. Orlean, a staff writer at "The New Yorker "who has been hailed as "a national treasure" by "The Washington Post," spent nearly ten years researching and reporting her most captivating book to date: the story of a dog who was born in 1918 and never died.

It begins on a battlefield in France during World War I, when a young American soldier, Lee Duncan, discovered a newborn German shepherd in the ruins of a bombed-out dog kennel. To Duncan, who came of age in an orphanage, the dog's survival was a miracle. He saw something in Rin Tin Tin that he felt compelled to share with the world. Duncan brought Rinty home to California, where the dog's athleticism and acting ability drew the attention of Warner Bros. Over the next ten years, Rinty starred in twenty-three blockbuster silent films that saved the studio from bankruptcy and made him the most famous dog in the world. At the height of his popularity, Rin Tin Tin was Hollywood's number one box office star.

During the decades that followed, Rinty and his descendants rose and fell with the times, making a tumultuous journey from silent films to talkies, from black-and-white to color, from radio programs to one of the most popular television shows of the baby boom era, "The Adventures of Rin-Tin-Tin." The canine hero's legacy was cemented by Duncan and a small group of others--including Bert Leonard, the producer of the TV series, and Daphne Hereford, the owner of the current Rin Tin Tin--who have dedicated their lives to making sure the dog's legend will never die.

At its core, "Rin Tin Tin "is a poignant exploration of the enduring bond between humans and animals. It is also a richly textured history of twentieth-century entertainment and entrepreneurship. It spans ninety years and explores everything from the shift in status of dogs from working farmhands to beloved family members, from the birth of obedience training to the evolution of dog breeding, from the rise of Hollywood to the past and present of dogs in war. Filled with humor and heart and moments that will move you to tears, Susan Orlean's first original book since "The Orchid Thief "is an irresistible blend of history, human interest, and masterful storytelling--a dazzling celebration of a great American dog by one of our most gifted writers.

About this title

Review

"[Orlean] combines all her skills and passions in this astonishing story . . . A terrific dog's tale that will make readers sit up and beg for more." --"Kirkus Reviews" (starred review)

"Stirring . . . A tale of passion and dedication overcoming adversity. . . . Even readers coming to Rin Tin Tin for the first time will find it difficult to refrain from joining Duncan in his hope that Rin Tin Tin's legacy will 'go on forever.'" --"Publishers Weekly"

"Rin Tin Tin was more than a dog. He embodied the core paradoxes of the American ideal: He was a loner who was also a faithful companion, a brave fighter who was also vulnerable. I was astonished to learn from this delightful book that he has existed for eleven generations over a century. By chronicling his amazing ups and downs, Susan Orlean has produced a hugely entertaining and unforgettable reading experience." --Walter Isaacson, author of "Benjamin Franklin "and "Einstein"

"Not only does Susan Orlean give us a fascinating and big-hearted account of all the many incarnations of Rin Tin Tin, she shows us the ever-changing role of American dogs in times of war and peace. This book is for anyone who has ever had a dog or loved a dog or watched a dog on television or thought their dog could be a movie star. In short--everyone." --Ann Patchett, author of "State of Wonder" and "Bel Canto"

"Move over Seabiscuit, Rin Tin Tin will be the most-talked-about animal hero of the year and beyond. . . A spectacularly compelling portrait . . . Engrossing, dynamic, and affecting." --"Booklist" (starred review)

"I adored this book. It""weaves history, war, show business, humanity, wit, and grace into an incredible story about America, the human-animal bond, and the countless ways we would be lost without dogs by our sides, on our screens, and in our books. This is the story Susan Orlean was born to tell--it's filled with amazing characters, reporting, and writing." --Rebecca Skloot, author of "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks"""

"Orlean relates the histories of the original Rin Tin Tin and his various successors with her customary eye for captivating detail." --"Entertainment Weekly"

"Susan Orlean has fashioned a masterpiece of reporting and storytelling, some of it quite personal and all of it compelling. Animal-related books have always peppered best-seller lists--"Seabiscuit" comes quickly to mind--and this one will top such lists. It deserves to, and also to work its way into millions of hearts and minds. . . . [Carl] Sandburg called Rin Tin Tin 'thrillingly intelligent' and 'phenomenal.' The same can be said for this remarkable book." --"Chicago Tribune"

"A must-read book that is both an excellent piece of cultural history and a remarkable story of the animal-human bond." --"The Christian Science Monitor"

"An improbably fascinating tale of one of the first canine celebrities, the times that catapulted him to fame, and the legacy that endures." --"People" magazine's "Great Fall Reads"

Book Description

'He believed the dog was immortal...' So begins the sweeping story of Rin Tin Tin: the story of a canine superstar and of American popular culture, spanning nearly a century and many human lives, told in the inimitable style of Susan Orlean, the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Orchid Thief.

About this edition

• Publisher: Large Print Pr
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1594135614
• ISBN 13: 9781594135613
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 531