Rin Tin Tin

The Life and the Legend

By: Susan Orlean

Narrated by: Susan Orlean

From Susan Orlean—acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of The Orchid Thief and The Library Book—Rin Tin Tin is “an unforgettable book about the mutual devotion between one man and one dog” (The Wall Street Journal).

He believed the dog was immortal.

So begins Susan Orlean’s sweeping, powerfully moving account of Rin Tin Tin’s journey from abandoned puppy to international movie-star dog who appeared in twenty-seven films throughout the 1920s. Spanning almost one hundred years of history, from the dog’s improbable discovery on a battlefield in 1918 by an American soldier to his tumultuous rise through Hollywood and beyond, Rin Tin Tin is a love story and "a masterpiece" (Chicago Tribune) that is also a quintessentially American story of reinvention, a captivating exploration of our spiritual bond with animals, and a stirring meditation on mortality and immortality.

Entertaining and provocative

Very accurately conveyed the passion and intricacies of screenwriting, storytelling, the emotional highs and lows of working tirelessly on behalf of stories you believe in, and the small miracles that emerge from living the storytelling craft that has been with us since the beginning of time.
Well done!

Loved it

A wonderful story that combines the history of film and television with the tale of Rin Tin Tin and his descendents. I thought it got a little slow toward the end, but otherwise, I couldn't put it down. I love dogs, but I don't think you need to be a dog-lover to enjoy this book.

The best story I ever listened to On Audible.

I loved the story of just how
Much children adored the puppies
And the real Rin Tin Tin.

Needed a Real Narrator

Please save me from authors who think they will be the best narrators for their books. Susan Orlean is clearly a very good author but her nasal voice and flat delivery detracted from her writing and the story of this otherwise enjoyable book. I had to listen with a split mind since her voice drove me a bit batty. Please, Ms Orlean, stick to writing.

Good book about changes in American Society

I wasn’t going to review this book, until I noticed all of the downer reviews that it had gotten. First off, this is not a dramatic reading of a work of fiction… it is a nonfiction book about the legacy of a "dog", so I liked that the author was also the narrator and told her own story. Secondly, I actually listened to a half hour interview with the author before I picked up this book, so I gave it really high marks because it was exactly what she said it was; a book talking about the idea and legacy of a "dog" (there has been more than one Rin Tin Tin) and the people who have cared about "him." Normally I would not buy or listen to a biography about an animal so I cannot honestly say if it is a good work in that genera, but it does show the interesting changes in America, and in the film/TV industry. So, if you are interested in changes in society, and how people have viewed dogs in the 20th century this will be a good book for you. If you are interested in early film and tv, and the idea of "celebrity" you may want to take a look. If you want a warm fuzzy dog story, you might be disappointed.