For the Love of a Dingo – Review by Will Lowrey, Author and Publisher

Napoleon

I had no knowledge of context on dingoes before reading this book and found this a very interesting, informative, and easy read. 

The book is divided into three sections, each covering the life of a specific dingo and their relationship with Berenice Walters, their caretaker. 

The book starts with the life of Dora, Berenice's very first dingo. Dora's story is quite interesting as it describes in good details the learning curve that Berenice had with acclimating to a dingo from the cattle dogs she was familiar with. 

The "heart" of this book seems to be the middle section about Napolean, Dora's son. You can read in the words how close the bond was between Berenice and Napolean (or "Nap"). 

There is a profound love that shines through the pages and it is evident that Nap changed Berenice's life and became an ambassador for wild dingoes in Australia. The final section is about Snowgoose, an alpine dingo (who even knew there were different types of dingoes?). Snowgoose was more challenging and there are some interesting stories about her antics (including being chased around by a pig on a farm).

The book is very well-written and is neatly broken down into 3 chapters with individual sections within each that mark the progression of Berenice's relationship with the dingoes. Pamela King does an excellent job of weaving together information that is both informative and entertaining. The language is plain and clear and the book is not complicated or "heavy" to read despite being on a topic that was unfamiliar and could have easily gotten bogged down with complexities on animal biology or Australian regulations. The descriptions of Berenice's home and property allow you to visualize her life with Dora, Nap, and Snowgoose. I particularly enjoyed the anecdotes of Nap's chair in the house. Also noteworthy are the pictures which were invaluable in adding to the story.

As someone who has spent many years advocating for pit bulls, I found many parallels in this book as it relates to how dingoes are viewed in Australia. The story of Berenice's determination and perseverance to change perceptions on these animals are viewed and treated resonated strongly. I very much enjoyed this book and thank Pamela for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.