DOGS are wonderful, but they’re naughty, too,’ declares illustrator John Holder. ‘They do terrible things. They slobber, they sniff bottoms, they always seem to go to the loo at the wrong time and they tear things to bits—but, then again, there’s not much fun in a dog sitting quietly, is there?’
This summer sees the release of No Dogs on the Bed, a joyful and humorous collection of illustrations by Mr Holder, celebrating the misdemeanours of Man’s best friend and exhibiting scenes that will be embarrassingly familiar to the nation’s dog owners —from the inevitable destruction of furniture when a pampered pooch is home alone, to a gundog’s sudden development of selective hearing in the shooting field. Yet, in spite of the chaos and frustrations, the book captures the way in which we dote on these mischievous mutts, forgiving their foibles in return for their steadfast loyalty, unparalleled companionship and natural ability to make us laugh.
‘I thought it might be a good idea to have quotes from public figures accompanying the illustrations in the book, but almost all of them go on about how marvellous dogs are. It took a lot of hard work and research to find some that mentioned the other side to them,’ laughs Mr Holder.
I have 19th-century dip pens and thousands of nibs–I’ve collected them all my life
Denne historien er fra June 30, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Denne historien er fra June 30, 2021-utgaven av Country Life UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
