Book Review: Rin Tin Tin by Susan Orlean

If you know me, you know that as much as this blog makes it seem like book bingo is my life, actually, my dog Emma is my life. She is the literal center of my universe (she is also sleeping under my desk chair as I type this, because I am also the center of her universe and she has to keep an eye on me since I have a bad habit of leaving the house without her). I am also just a fan of dogs in general, and pretty much all pets, really. So of course I was interested when I found out that Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid Thief, had an entire book about the canine actor Rin Tin Tin.

Well, to say that Rin Tin Tin is just about Rin Tin Tin would be misleading. Yes, this book is about the first Rin Tin Tin, and his movie career, and all the dog actors who went on to bear his name or play characters that bore his name. But it’s also a book about WWI and II, dogs in the war, dogs in American life, dogs in Hollywood, and the lives of many of the humans in Rinnie’s orbit. This is a 12 hour audiobook and it never gets boring, as Orlean (who narrates as well) takes us through time and space to tell the story of one of the entertainment industry’s most beloved and enduring canine stars.

I borrowed this audiobook for my annual drive to Portland and back, and it was enough to not only get me through that, but also some chores and crafting for the next week and then a drive to Olympia and back. It’s good roadtrip material, is what I’m saying.

Orlean takes us from the horrors of war to the glamour of the silent film era to the literal and figurative wild west of the early days of TV, with side trips into the courtroom and the dog show ring, and even a few graveyards. Along the way there’s action, adventure, rags-to-riches-to-rags, intrigue, romance, betrayal, and so many very good dogs.

You’ll learn about things like why animal actors were so popular in the silent film days, how the German Shepherd breed was established and why they became so popular in America, the early days of obedience training (and resistance to it from the conformation dog show people), and so much more.

Here’s the thing: I never watched the Rin Tin Tin TV show, in fact, it sounds like it was very much a product of the times it was made in and thus not something I would enjoy, and I’ve never seen any of his movies, either. But I love a good story and I love a good dog, and this is just an incredibly entertaining book where you’ll learn a lot of fun facts that you can drop at parties.

CWs and TWs: War and the associated violence; animal injury, illness, and death; parental abandonment; discussions of racist old TV shows with offensive depictions of Indigenous people.

Format and source: I read this as an audiobook borrowed from Sno-Isle Libraries.

Book Bingo Prompts

SAL/SPL Adult Summer Reading: Suggested by a Library Worker. I used the “Custom Reading List” feature on the Sno-Isle Libraries website to request some ideas for audiobooks to enjoy on my trip to Portland, and this was one of 6 books that Kate from Sno-Isle sent me. In fact, it was a bonus rec that she had read specifically and thought I might enjoy based on my request, and she was so right! Library workers are so awesome.

Book Bingo Progress

Nook & Cranny (Card 1): 17 out of 25 prompts complete. 2 bingos.

Nook & Cranny (Card 2): 15 out of 25 prompts complete. 1 bingo.

SAL/SPL Adult Summer Reading: 15 out of 23 prompts complete, 2 bingos.

SBTB Summer Romance: 3 out of 24 prompts complete, 0 bingos.