Allegedly found in the ruins of a bombed-out dog kennel in France during World War I, then brought to Los Angeles by Lee Duncan, the soldier who found and trained him, by 1927 Rin Tin Tin had become Hollywood's number one box-office star. Susan Orlean's book--about the dog and the legend--is a poignant exploration of the enduring bond between humans and animals. It is also a richly textured history of twentieth-century entertainment and entrepreneurship....

When their boat capsizes in turbulent waters off the Pacific Northwest coast, John McCormick is rescued, but his 14-year-old son Angus, and recently adopted stray Golden Labrador, are washed ashore where they fight to survive in the rugged wilderness.