“A consummate and loving tribute to canines as well as a comprehensive history, seamlessly blending facts, anecdotes, and ideas.” —Kirkus Reviews In this revelatory book, Mark Derr looks at the ways in which we have used canines—as sled dogs and sheepdogs, hounds and Seeing Eye dogs, guard dogs, show dogs, and bomb-sniffing dogs—as he tracks changes in American culture and society. A Dog’s History of America weaves a remarkable tapestry of heroism, betrayal, tragedy, kindness, abuse, and unique companionship. The result is an enlightening perspective on American history through the eyes of humanity’s best friend. “Includes stories of heroic dogs like Satan, who in WWI dodged bullets to take a message that saved a garrison under fire; the Alaskan sled team whose 1920s ‘serum run’ saved a town from diphtheria; and dogs in the Pacific who detected hidden Japanese snipers in WWII . . . A humbling reminder of the dog’s remarkable spirit and intelligence in the face, even, of human cruelty.” —Kirkus Reviews “A history of the dog in the New World . . . fascinating.” —Booklist “Takes a dog’s-eye view of American history, beginning with speculations on the dog’s first appearance in the Americas tens of thousands of years ago.” —Publishers Weekly “Scrupulously researched, anecdotally rich, historically provocative and wide-ranging . . . Draw[s] on an impressive array of archival sources.” —Bruce Olds, author of Bucking the Tiger

Fascinating stories abound in this magnificent treasure trove of dog stories, ranging from beloved shaggy dog tales to rare references from 7th-century Tibet to the works of John Steinbeck and Rudyard Kipling. Includes accounts of the Maltese who hid under the skirt of Mary Queen of Scots at her beheading, a Newfoundland who valiantly tried to save his owner as the TITANIC went down, and much more. Illustrated throughout.

This volume gathers contributions from scholars from a variety of disciplines to provide a comprehensive assessment of the importance of dogs through history. There is a focus on the necessity of an ‘interdisciplinary perspective’ to fully understand the fundamental role that dogs have played in our past.