Dog Days in Andalucía

Oct 24, 2024 7:34 PM

Author:Jackie Todd

It was love at first sight: the huge pale-green eyes, the ruffled tawny hair and the cute way he held his head to one side. What really swung it, though, was his feet being way too big for his body, his ears too big for his head and that, while trying to look brave, he was obviously terrified. Charly was the first of what grew to be a large family of abandoned Spanish dogs taken in by Jackie Todd and her husband Stephen after they emigrated in 1997 to Frigiliana, a picturesque Spanish village in Andalucia. By the time Charly was four, something magical had happened: the people of the village had become close friends and the Todds' memories of their old lives were as weak as British sunshine.

Fourteen years on from that first arrival they have ten dogs and eight cats of their own and regularly foster tiny strays that need bottle-feeding until they can be found homes. In 2007, 123 puppies and kittens passed through their door; in 2008, it was 119; and the tragic procession continues today.

Millions of people dream of turning their summer holiday into permanent reality. Dog Days in Andalucía is the heart-warming and inspirational story of an ordinary British couple who did just that, making a mighty impression on the village, its people and its surrounding animal population along the way.

Reviews

A heartwarming memoir

—— Daily Mail

Very charming

—— Margaret Forster

Most enjoyable

—— Hunter Davies

A touching true story

—— Woman & Home

A fantastic vet

—— Joanna Page (Stacey from Gavin and Stacey)

The charming Dr Marc Abraham

—— RTE

Paul Greenberg observes ... we are at a significant moment

—— Economist

Accessible and enlightening ... It's not Greenberg's way to preach; he's happier letting the facts speak for themselves

—— Observer

Required reading for anyone who eats seafood ...Greenberg is an unfailingly entertaining writer, and his book arms you with the information you need to make intelligent choices when you are confronted by the ... offerings at the fish counter

—— Atlantic

Lucid, readable ... a story well told

—— Charles Clover , Sunday Times

An elegantly composed and strikingly level-headed inquiry into our relationship with the fish we eat and the waters that sustain them

—— Tom Fort , Sunday Telegraph

A powerful case for action ... combining on-the-ground and on-the-ocean reporting from the Yukon to Greece, from the waters off New England to the Mekong Delta, along with accounts of some stirring fishing trips, Greenberg makes a powerful argument ... marvellous exploration of that contradiction, a necessary book for anyone interested in what we take from the sea to eat, and how, and why

—— Sam Sifton , Scotsman

Oren Harman's outstanding new biography of the American scientist George Price makes the case that Price's theoretical contributions to biology are among the most important of the twentieth century...Price was undoubtedly an opaque figure; Harman has approached his life with sensitivity and intelligence, providing a clearer window into this troubled mind

—— Tom Bailey , TLS

Moving biography exploring a geneticst's understanding of human selflessness

—— The Times

An energetic tale that presents not only the science but the history and politics which produced it

—— Islington Tribune

Previous Article：Vet on Call Next Article：Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home

Comments

Welcome to zzdbook comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.