Book Review: Rin Tin Tin

I just finished reading Rin Tin Tin by Susan Orlean. I can say I enjoyed the book and read through it quickly. It bogged down a bit describing some of the inner workings of Hollywood but overall was an interesting and informative read. Now I have to say I am just young enough that I missed watching the black and white series on TV. It went off the air the same year I was born, but I do remember seeing it in re-runs as a kid. I have to say, that show was pretty much all I knew about the legendary dog. I did not realize his origins were in World War I and the original Rin Tin Tin was a star of the silent movie era. This book tells the full tale, starting with finding the pup who was to become a world-wide sensation, his many movies, the ups and downs of his owner Lee Duncan's life, the line of dogs that would all carry the Rin Tin Tin name forward, the Hollywood years, and the legal battles in the name of this dog's fame. This dog pretty much single handedly started a national craze for German Shepherd Dogs. Everyone wanted a Rin Tin Tin of his/her own!

Armed with all this new Rin Tin Tin knowledge, I realized something. The very first dog I had as a child was a German Shepherd. My parents bought him when I was just two. Some of my earliest memories are of that dog, who we named Storm. I imagine my parents' desire to get that particular breed of dog was probably fueled by a lifetime of Rin Tin Tin exposure. They had grown up during the peek of his glory days. My sister was born while the The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin was still in its first run. It is definitely a question I would love to ask them....but alas I can't.

I love to pass along books that I enjoy. If anyone would like my copy of this book, please email me at taryn(dot)tipton(at)gmail(dot)com. If more than one person responds, I will pull a name from the hat!