by Wayne Simmons

Shreveport, LA---“The Story of Jules Verne, A Watch Pocket Dog” is a story for dog lovers. It concerns a young man who is totally obsessed with the out of doors. Since childhood he has maintained a relentless, unfulfilled dream: that of owning a truly exceptional hunting dog. At last, the bird dog of his dreams arrives—but instead of greatness and majesty, the man discovers a skinny, sickly foundling of questionable pedigree to agonize over. It is a true story: the experiences, the characters, especially the rocky start of a special relationship between man and dog. The story with paintings and illustrations by the author, recounts a hunter’s journey with his hunting dog over a ten-year span. Most of the events described in the book occur in the South: primarily Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. In many ways, the book is a compilation of closely related short stories, written in sequence, about a very ordinary guy and his extraordinary “once in a lifetime” hunting dog -- the dog being the thread that binds throughout.

“The Story of Jules Verne” is a medium-sized, coffee table style book, laced with the author/artist’s illustrations and paintings of gun dogs, horses, and wildlife. Outdoorsmen may find some of these scenes reminiscent. At first glance, the book’s distressed, golden brown hard cover appears to be authentic antique leather, the dog’s portrait placed on it, a fitting tribute to an old friend long gone but not forgotten.

Published by Highlander Farm Press

Price: $29.95 & $5.00 shipping & handling