From Publishers Weekly
Morie Sawataishi had never owned a dog, but in 1944, when the Japanese man was 30 years old, the desire for one came over him like a sudden... craving. During WWII, snow country dogs were being slaughtered for pelts to line officers' coats; working for Mitsubishi in the remote snow country, Morie decided to rescue Japan's noble, ancient Akita breed—whose numbers had already dwindled before the war—from certain extinction. Raised in an elegant Tokyo neighborhood, his long-suffering wife, Kitako, hated country life, and his children resented the affection he lavished on his dogs rather than on them. The book brims with colorful characters, both human and canine: sweet-tempered redhead Three Good Lucks, who may have been poisoned to death by a rival dog owner; high-spirited One Hundred Tigers, who lost his tail in an accident; and wild mountain man Uesugi. To Western readers Morie's single-mindedness may seem selfish and Kitako's passivity in the face of his stubbornness incomprehensible, but former Washington Post staffer Sherrill (The Buddha from Brooklyn) imbues their traditional Japanese lifestyle with dignity, and Morie's adventures (he is now 94) should be enjoyed by dog lovers, breeders and trainers. B&w photos. (Mar. 3)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

On it's way to azuki in Fla. selected from the Passport to the World Virtual Bookbox.
Happy reading.

I thought dancing-dog would had swooped up the book in the vbb, so I was delighted when it did last to my turn. I am so delighted to get this book, and love flipping through it for the photos.
Thank you, thank you!!

No way I have kept this book for a full decade! The book does still look very new.

I thoroughly enjoy this book, about a man passionate about his dogs (though it sucks to be his wife - well, actually I take it back. He may not be very expressive about his love for human beings, and he is old-school male, but in his way he does care enough about his family, didn't abuse anyone, get drunk, or cheat.)

And of course, more than about the man, I love read about the dogs. Morie is credited as the man who save the Akita inu from extinction. Things were looking bleak for them around WWII, when they were killed for their fur, or cross-bred with Western breeds. Morie gains my admiration because he's not breeding dogs for money - in fact, he never sold his puppies - nor does he breed them for show - he looks for characters as much as appearance.

I will either use this for the Wild Things book box or save it for the BC Con (only that I'm not sure if it can happen next April. : ( )

Noticed that this is on iwillrejoice's wishlist, so RABCKing it to her to make sure I won't be keeping this book for another year or ten. X D

Arrived safely. Thank you so much!