100 Dogs Who Changed Civilization

You’ve heard of man’s best friend, the dog. This book spotlights 100 best friends for their feats of heroism, acts of love and contributions to the sciences and arts.

There’s Laika, a simple mutt from the streets of Moscow who became the first earthling in space. Her historic 1957 flight handed the Russians a major victory in the race to land a man on the moon. (Laika died several hours into her mission, however, possibly from fright.)

And there’s Ginny, a schnauzer/husky mix who was named “Cat of the Year” in New York because of her knack for finding and rescuing stray cats and kittens.

Not a dog person? Not to worry. Check out the author’s companion book, 100 Cats Who Changed Civilization.

Featured felines include Oscar, a shipboard cat who survived three sinkings in World War II, and Pulcinella, a composer’s cat who inspired an 18th-century harpsichord sonata by walking up and down the keyboard.