Red Dog - Louis De Bernieres

Having read other books by Louis de Bernieres I was rather surprised at the small size of this book. Size is not the only contrast to his other work - the narrative is much tighter and more single-minded. There are less threads competing for your attention, and as they are all linked up via Red Dog, they don't meander around at all. It's a love story to nature, and the balance of independence and community, set against the scorching and earthy backdrop of Australia. In many respects it's the spiritual brother of Alexander McCall Smith's books about Botswana and Precious Ramotswe - evoking an almost sepia-toned image of a perfect place and time, full of joy and ...  Read the complete review

Red Dog is a lesser known book by Louis De Bernieres, who wrote the famous ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ which was turned into a film. I first saw the book 'Red Dog' towards the end of 2002, which made it perfect as a birthday present for me! As my big day is in December, I have to wait all year for all my presents (boo) but in this instance I was happy to put it on my wish list! Plus the fact it was £5.99 for a very slim book made me want to receive it rather than buy it! OK, yes I’m a meanie! It really appealed to me as it was set in Australia, a place very close to my heart as my best friend lives there. I usually visit her once a year and thought I would ...  Read the complete review

In our village, lives a cat called Felix. Ostensibly, Felix belongs to one of my neighbours. However, Felix is an itinerant cat. He belongs to no one. And yet, he belongs to everyone. We all feed him, we all pet him, and we all laugh at his antics. However, we none of us own him. Red Dog is such an animal; he belongs to everyone. And yet, he belongs to no one. Red Dog, though, has more than a tiny village in Devon at his disposal. Red Dog has the vast expanses of Western Australia in which to indulge his restless spirit. Possessed of boundless energy, an inquisitive soul and an independent streak a mile wide, Red Dog is famous in the community. When the ...  Read the complete review