Thursday, January 07, 2010

A Dog's Tale


A Dog's Tale. By Mark Twain. 1903. (Short Story)

My father was a St. Bernard, my mother was a collie, but I am a Presbyterian.

I don't know *why* I read this one. I really don't. It was breaking oh-so-many-rules. You see, I'm a BIG skeptic when it comes to stories about animals. And there is a reason for my pessimism, I hate, hate, hate to be "surprised" (or in some cases not-so-surprised) by animals dying or being abused. Perhaps it was the fact that I tend to equate Twain more with humor than heartbreak. Or maybe it was just the first line... doesn't it have a great first line? That's something you don't see every day. A story narrated by a dog claiming to be "a Presbyterian."

It's a short read. And it's not without its good points. But it's definitely more bitter than sweet. You can read the story online.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews

No comments: