FREE KINDLE FOR PC

FREE KINDLE FOR PC
So you can read my books

Sunday, December 28, 2014

THE DOG WHO COULD FLY


Czech airman Robert Bozdech found himself shot down with his wounded pilot in a grim no-man's land, 

between German and French forces at the beginning of World War II. 

It is January 1940 and the German army is shortly to begin its surge across the rest of continental Europe.

 In an abandoned farmhouse where Robert and his French pilot take shelter, 

he finds a starving puppy amid the rubble. 

Not weaned yet, the emaciated dog is able to suckle warmed-up chocolate from Robert's finger.

But a puppy left behind would make noise that would alert their Nazi hunters. 

Robert takes out his knife. 

He looks into trusting brown eyes.  

He puts the knife away and the puppy inside his bomber jacket.


Along with the pilot, he and the puppy make the terrifying and arduous journey to safety.  

But that is just it: 

there is no safety with the Nazis butchering their way across all of France.

So Robert & the puppy, along with six other Czech airmen, 

eventually escape to Britain to serve in the Royal Air Force, 

along the way facing not only a saga of obstacles and dangers 

but the added challenge of smuggling along a dog Robert names Ant ... 

later changing it to Antis for a reason I leave for you to find out.

 Long before Robert and his mates are welcomed into the RAF, Antis wins Robert's heart. 

His loyalty, courage, and intelligence, even as a puppy, 

create a bond of love, one that survives some of the most challenging circumstances.


 Antis was awarded the Dickin Medal, 
the animal equivalent to the Victoria Cross

Before France capitulates, Robert returns to fly with the French Air Force 

in a last-ditch effort to slow the advance of the Germans, joined by Antis. 

(Later Antis would fly with Robert in the RAF.)

"It seemed almost the most natural thing ... for Ant to leap onto the wing of the aircraft and climb in beside him ... 

The perils of the mission didn't seem to worry him ... His ears pricked up a little as the punching percussions of machine-gun fire filled the gun turret,

his nose twitched at the thick cordite fumes that drifted all around him, 

but other than that he didn't ... stir from his laid-back position prone on the metal floor."


 During the course of the war, Antis saves lives by hearing, and warning his master of, 

the approach of German bombers long before they could be detected by air defense. 

And after one horrific attack

he becomes a rescuer, sniffing out survivors in the rubble of a building.  

Even being buried by a falling wall could not stop the bleeding, crawling Antis 

from digging out his last rescue: 

a young girl who would have died but for Antis.

You will laugh, sigh, cry, and ultimately cheer this warm loving story torn from the bloody history of WWII.


You will be cheered by the ingenuity and never-say-die spirit 
of both man and dog.  

I am currently listening to the audio version of this wonderful book.

To give equal time to kittens:

10 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Everyone!
    If you belong to Audible.com/ you can buy the audio of this for only $3.95 instead of the $27.95. (It is the Daily Deal) The ghost of Antis just barked for you to grab this before Midnight!

    I listened to his adventures while I drove at 4 A.M. in blinding rain. I enjoyed it. Perhaps Antis was riding shotgun with me as he did his WWII master. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Laugh, cry and cheer, that's the best kind of story.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy Whisk:
    At least you and I think so! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I love all of those things in a story. So fun. Happy 2015 :-)

      Delete
  4. Been busy but hope you're having a great holiday, Roland.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I really love your description of this book! I'm definitely getting it, though possibly in book form so I can pass it on to my Mom, who lived through the war.

    Sorry I haven't been stopping by. I was gone over Christmas and didn't have access to the internet (long story), and while it was nice to be unplugged for a while, I missed stopping by your blog.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Roland - what a great story ... it's amazing how many animals were around in WW1 - but hearing the story of Antis - sounds exactly as you say .. heart-rending at times, with joy ... definitely one to buy or listen to ...

    Glad Antis helped you pass the time in that driving rain ... cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
  7. D.G.:
    This holiday weekend was more hectic than usual for me, too! Take care of yourself in all your caring for others, please. :-)

    Helena:
    I believe both you and your mother will fall in love with Antis and with his human Dad, Robert.

    I missed your visits, too. But I figured Christmas is a harsh mistress. Being unplugged from the internet was one of the banes of my home burning. Something about being forced to go internet-less instead of choosing it!

    May your days be calmer now. Happy New Year!

    Hilary:
    What made Antis so at risk in England during WWII was that due to rationing, one hundred thousand personal pets had to be put down by order of law.

    For Robert it was maddening to think that Antis, after having survived Nazi bullets, anti-aircraft shells, burning buildings, being buried alive by a dropped bomb -- and saving countless lives ferreting out buried bomb victims and giving advance warning for German bombers -- Antis would be killed by the very government for which he fought.

    Antis did make for a good traveling companion!

    I hope your last week of 2014 is great and your 2015 is even better!! Roland

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks for letting me know about Antis. I will bookmark this so I will remember the name of the book and get it later. I am reading S finally. The book is creepy, the notes fun to read, the suspense is building, but I am only on chapter 3 so it will take a while. I don't have time to visit blogs much for the rest of this year. Happy New Year, my friend. I am grateful for your friendship.

    ReplyDelete
  9. INGER:
    Your friendship has been one of the better things of 2014 for me. I hope the friend who I gave S to is appreciating it.

    Your visits here are always welcome! Have a much better 2015!

    ReplyDelete