The Wisdom of Dog
by Murray Ball, Hodder Moa, $29.99
When my husband first visited New Zealand he dragged me around the second-hand book shops on the lookout for Murray Ball and Dog. He returned to England with a case full of paperbacks.
The first gift I ever bought him was the
video of A Dog's Life.
And now, at night, when I sit up in bed reading he is lying beside me chuckling as he leafs through yet another Footrot Flats book.
I hadn't realised until then just how famous "our" dog was.
Evidently, at one stage the Footrot Flats cartoon strips were syndicated to 160 newspapers and magazines throughout the world, including the UK.
Murray Ball is recognised as New Zealand's greatest cartoonist - he has had more than 50 Footrot Flats-related books published.
And Dog - the central figure in the Footrot Flats cartoon strips - was recently voted New Zealand's best-loved fictional character.
The Wisdom of Dog is devoted entirely to himself and the "wisdom" that has made him such a lovable personality. It features more than 300 single, stand-alone cartoons, all with Dog as the main focus. The majority of these have never before been published in book form.
This beautifully presented hardback is a must-own for all New Zealanders - and those who have moved here -who have lived with, and loved, Murray Ball's iconic Dog.
Think Christmas ... I have one tucked away for under the tree. That'll keep him out of mischief come Christmas Day.
