If Only You Knew How Much I Smell You
 Valerie Shaff & Roy Blount, Jr
 (Reviewer - Rebecca Brown)
 2003 Bulfinch Press
 ISBN: 0821228307

Who hasn't looked into a dog's eyes & wondered what's going on in that furry head?

What do dogs truly make of us? Find out in this hilarious book of verses & evocative canine countenances giving voice to the inner dog.

From adorable pups to mournful hounds to stately setters, each verse describes the befuddlement & joy of a dog's life.

As Roy Blount writes: “We know what it means when a dog, on seeing us, jumps up and down. That is, we know what it means to us...How well do we know what it means to the dog?...People can talk to dogs and also stroke them manually. Dogs want to respond -- but they can't talk, they don't have hands, and people generally don't like being licked, humped, or sniffed much.”

& so this witty poet proceeds, after a preamble into historical doggie references & some personal history, to tell us exactly what he thinks the dogs in Valerie Shaff's portraits are telling us.

Charming sepia toned photographs & poignant, prosaic commentaries make If Only You Knew How Much I Smell You a must for dog lovers. It'll make you look at your dog a little more intelligently!

More from Shaff & Blount:
I Am Puppy Hear Me Yap: The Ages of Dog
Am I Pig Enough for You Yet?: Voices of the Barnyard
(09/28/03)

Rebecca