John and George
The Dog Who Changed My Life
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
The incredible true story of how one man turned his life around through the companionship of his best friend.
For years, John Dolan had been living rough, trying his best to get by. Born and bred on the estates of east London, his early life was marked by neglect and abuse, and his childhood gift for drawing was stamped out by the tough realities outside his front door. As he grew older, he found himself turning to petty crime to support himself and ended up in prison. On coming out, with a record and no trade, he soon found himself on the streets, surviving day-by-day, living hand-to-mouth.
It wasn’t until he met George, a tearaway Staffy puppy, that his life changed for the better. To begin with, George was a handful: he had been abused himself and was scared of human contact. But in a matter of weeks. John and George had become inseparable. It was then that John decided to pick up his long-forgotten gift for drawing, sitting on Shoreditch High Street for hours at a time, sketching pictures of George which he would sell to passers-by. With his best friend by his side, and a pencil in his hand, John suddenly found his life’s calling.
Last autumn, John put on his first gallery show just across the road from where he had sat and sketched for three years. It sold out. Now, John and George are no longer homeless and live just around the corner from where they first met on the streets.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Formerly homeless artist Dolan begins his memoir about a man and his dog with the story of how he was introduced to George, a young Staffordshire bull terrier who had been abused and neglected. George sparks Dolan's memories of his abusive childhood, drug addiction, petty theft, and time spent in prison. The only thing that kept a young Dolan sane was his love of (and natural talent for) drawing, which fell by the wayside as he turned to a life of crime. George and Dolan quickly became inseparable. Thanks to the unconditional love of his canine friend, Dolan's life takes a bright turn, opening up opportunities he'd never imagined: Dolan rekindles his love of art and drawing, and eventually gets a solo show at a gallery. The two continue to spend their days side by side on the sidewalks of Shoreditch High Street in London. Dolan sketches while George solicits money and poses for photos with passersby. Animal lovers, especially dog owners, will appreciate the relationship Dolan and George share and the way Dolan identifies with the stray dog, gradually finding the comfort, inspiration, and happiness that had evaded him for so long. Illus.
