Let's talk about the FIRST story in this republished 1928 comical dog story collection! I LOVED it: clever, elegant, very very funny.

The first story was about a man introducing a new dog to his wealthy household. It was my favorite. The second story was about a dog living in the trenches for WWI. It was potentially heartwarming, but it also had some unwarned animal abuse in it. The third story was about a police rescue dog who rescued swimmers whether they needed help or not. It was all right.

I loved the first story though, and this compilation is worth it just for that one!

Two Gentlemen and a Lady is a delightful nod to classic literature, and I love that works like this are still being preserved and shared. The collection contains three short stories, all centered around doggos, which, frankly, is an easy way to win me over. How can anyone resist a book about dogs?

The writing is in that charming, old-fashioned English, which gives the book a refined, almost nostalgic feel. It's beautifully composed and lends the stories an elegance that modern writing often skips.

Of the three, the first story was my favorite. It stood out for its wit, humor, and character, and I found it easier to read than the other two. While the remaining stories were still enjoyable, the first had a spark that made it especially memorable.

At under an hour to read, it's a perfect little time filler—a light, charming escape that reminds you why old literature still has a place on modern shelves.

What an absolutely wonderful little book! Originally published almost 100 years ago and long out of print, the writing still sparkles and the three stories, all focused on dogs, are funny and charming. The cartoon illustrations are also beautiful, completely capturing the personalities of the dogs in the stories.

The author, Alexander Woolcott, was a critic writing for the New York Times and the New Yorker and was a member of the Algonquin Round Table alongside the likes of Dorothy Parker. Like her, he was famous at the time for his wit and it shows throughout this book, particularly in my own favourite about a terrier dog bought by a well to do gentleman in Long Island. I have to admit I’d never heard of him before but I couldn’t have enjoyed this any more than I did.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.