If Only You Knew How Much I Smell You: True Portraits of Dogs

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Who hasn't put words into their mutt's mouth? From "yes, the chicken-flavored treats are my favorite," to "no, I'm not quite ready for my bath," all dog devotees are guilty as charged--although not all do it in such a hilarious and endearing manner as writer Roy Blount Jr. and photographer Valerie Shaff in If Only You Knew How Much I Smell You: True Portraits of Dogs. Blount, humorist and author of Be Sweet, brings us closer to "understanding the 'inner dog'" through his use of Doggerel, a uniquely Blount brand of verse with the "canine measure somewhere between ordered and free." The effect of this puppy poetry--when paired with Shaff's truly remarkable duotone photographs of mixed and pure breeds--is comic genius. A Boxer coyly stares into the camera wondering, "What does that mean, 'expensive shoe'? / I ate it because it smelled like you," while a chubby-tummied bulldog declares "Good stick. / Got a good stick. / A real / good / Stick. / Getting all the good / Out of this good / Stick / That's in / This / good / Stick." You'll never be able to resist this entertaining and affectionate look at our canine friends as "they ponder the confusions, certainties, pangs, and pleasures of a dog's life."


Book Description
This charming collection teams up dog portraits by Valerie Shaff with verse by humorist Roy Blount Jr., to give us an original and entertaining portrayal of what dogs really think. Who hasn't looked into a dog's eyes and wondered what's going on in that furry head? What do dogs make of us? The answers are found in this hilarious book of 50 evocative canine countenances giving voice to the inner dog. Roy Blount's verses--written from the dog's point of view--tell us the meaning of the quizzical expressions and soulful looks Valerie Shaff's camera catches so well: "What does that mean, 'expensive shoe'?/ I ate it because it smelled like you." From adorable Dalmatian pups to mournful hounds to soulful setters, each dog's voice conveys the befuddlement, heartbreak, and simple joys of a dog's life.


About the Author
Valerie Shaff's portraits have been exhibited internationally, and have appeared in the New Yorker, Paper, Good Housekeeping, and Martha Stewart Living. Roy Blount, Jr., is one of America's best-known humorists. He is also the author of 16 books, including his memoir, Be Sweet.


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A delight for dog lovers and, until dogs learn to talk, the best way to remember that the "inner dog" is probably much like the outer one, this winning collection teams up dog portraits and humorous verse to offer an honest, original, and hilarious portrayal of what dogs really "think".


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