The Reign of the Greyhound: A Popular History of the Oldest Family of Dogs

by Cynthia A. Branigan

Book Overview

The regal history of a revered, elegant breed They were one of the first wild animals to come under the protection of humans. They have sat at the feet of the Pharaohs. Their likenesses have graced... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0876056966
• ISBN13: 9780876056967
• Release Date: August 1997
• Publisher: Howell Books
• Length: 193 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.4" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

The truth about Columbus comes out....

Like another reviewer said,I thought I knew a lot about greyhounds, but after reading this, I can see I was missing huge chunks of history. If you think of Greyhounds being associated only with Egypt, well, that was only the beginning. In some ways it is hard to believe these dogs have been around so long. From the book, it seems that if it wasn't for their aristocratic beauty and elegance, they might have faded out long ago, but since they were often seen as dogs for the wealthy or powerful, they managed to keep their niche even though times did get tough on them (Crusades, Roman collapse, etc.). There is a lot of history in here, and I was most surprised by the stories of the greyhounds (and mastiffs) that accompanied Columbus and other New World explorers on their trips. Unfortunately they didn't use the greyhounds as tools of peace. Anyways, the book is very in depth and should make you look at your greyhound with new eyes. I've had my brindle girl, Starry for only 5 months now and she is truly a sweetie.

Fascinating and informative

The more involved I became with greyhounds, the more I found them intriguing and felt driven to learn more about them, which was why I was happy when I came across this book. It is a wonderful book that explores the rich and ancient history of the greyhound. It is well researched, easy to read and hard to put down. I certainly gained knowledge with every page and definetely would recommend it.

Greyhound history must have...

This is an excellent book for those who want an in depth look at the history of the greyhound. It doesn't have info. on how to care, treat, or train, but it provides more background than I've found in any other book. The author uses personal references which make it more meaningful. Really, an enjoyable read from a greyhound foster parent, active rescuer, and a 4 time adopter.

A wonderful history of a beautiful breed

Being both a sighthound owner and a history buff, I was so delighted to have found this book. I can't recommend it enough. I can guarantee that if you haven't had experience with sighthounds, you will want to after reading this! For those of us who know the breed, it is a long overdue salute to one of the most overlooked and unappreciated dog breeds in the world. I especially liked the photos that accompanied the text. It was wonderful to see so many representations of greyhounds through the ages. I thought that chapter 1, on the Greyhound family, was very informative, and the author managed to put a lot of information that is rarely found all in one place into a very readable and enjoyable format. Read this book- You'll love it, even if you don't own a Greyhound! I hope that Cynthia Branigan's book helps many many more retired racing Greyhounds find homes with people who learn about them from her book as well.

greyhounds' popularity is ancient history!

I thought I knew all there was to know about my Greyhound until I read this book. In it I learned that my dog's ancestors have been delighting humans for literally thousands of years. The book takes you on a tour of the history of civilization with Greyhounds in the leading role. If only history had been so interesting when I was in school! The artwork is breathtaking, the adoption anecdotes are both hilarious and touching and Cynthia Branigan is obviously both a scholar and a person with a big heart. If you own a Greyhound you owe it to your dog to learn more about his contribution to history.