Saluki: The Desert Hound and the English Travelers Who Brought It to the West (Dogs in Our World)

"outstanding"--The Midwest Book Review; "one of the most detailed, elaborate and curious dog books I have had the privilege to read in a very long time. It is not a single-focus breed book, neither is it a trumped-up recitation of old-school history lessons, or a name-dropper's Who's Who. Rather, imagine a book for an easy chair and rainy day...a story that you will fly through the first time, but return to over and over, to uncover even more nuggets of treasure that continue to entice long after they have been first enjoyed"--The Sighthound Magazine; "breathing life into this diverse group of enthusiasts...and their salukis...is the work of this well-researched volume. It is a fascinating journey from the time the sun never set on the British Empire to the darkness of World War II. The photographs are wonderful as well."--Jane Waldron Grutz, Saudi Aramco World; "Duggan...has done so thorough and readable a job as to render any further book on the subject unnecessary. Populated by dozens of compelling characters, including T. E. Lawrence (the enigmatic Lawrence of Arabia), Saluki is the product of 14 years of research made vivid by the author's skills as a storyteller"--AKC Gazette; "a masterful work and I am tremendously impressed with the amount of research that went into it"--George H.V. Cecil, Chairman, Biltmore Farms LLC; "a welcome addition...by chronicling their [British officers] stories you add to the broader picture of British activity in the Middle East"--Zahra Dickson Freeth, author of Kuwait Was My Home

One of the oldest known breeds of domesticated dogs, the Saluki traveled throughout the Middle East with a number of nomadic desert tribes, who favored the dogs for their unparalleled ability to hunt desert gazelles. Famously carved into the walls of the Pharaohs' tombs, the Saluki have an exotic history that piqued the interests of dog enthusiasts and breeders during the early 20th century, including notable Edwardian men and women who played significant roles in popularizing the breed and importing the Saluki to Europe and the United States.This book tells the unique, true story of the characters who brought the Saluki to the West, most notably the Honorable Florence Amherst, who became smitten with the breed during a family tour of Egypt and went on to breed a staggering number of 50 litters and 199 registered puppies. The author also brings into the story a range of other prominent world travelers who fell under the Salukis' spell, including Lady Jane Digby, Lady Anne Blunt, Austen Layard and Gertrude Bell. Also covered in this book are a number of lesser-known but just as dedicated Saluki aficionados, mainly military officers who became addicted to hunting with their hounds in the deserts of Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt and who sought to replicate that addiction upon their return home.