A Dog's Tale

A classic tale by Mark Twain depicting the life of a family seen through its canine companion. It's a unique view of how family members react to a calamity and their treatment of each member emphasized by contrasting the dark and inconsiderate nature of humans with the benign and loyal nature of dogs.

The story is told from the viewpoint of a dog, named Aileen Mavourneen, a self-proclaimed Presbyterian, whose mother is a Collie, and father is a St. Bernard. It begins with her life as a puppy, while living with her mother. Eventually, she is taken from her mother to live with a loving family. At first, life for Aileen seems perfect. She lives in a spacious, adorned house with open space, where she is free to roam and play with other dogs.

All that changes, however, when a fire breaks out in the nursery, prompting Aileen to risk her own life to save her owner's infant from harm's way. Despite her heroic deed, Aileen's motives are misunderstood and she is cruelly beaten and treated with the utmost brutality that changes her life forever.

A recommended read that evokes much powerful, heartfelt emotions throughout.