34) Do you think Lee underestimated, or misunderstood, his importance in creating the Rin Tin Tin juggernaut?ĥ. Lee steadfastly believed that Rinty was destined for greatness and, as Orlean writes, 'he was lucky to be his human guide and companion.' (p. Do you think Lee's devotion to Rinty was more of an endearing character trait, or a symptom of deeper personal issues? Consider the many people who felt wronged or resentful toward Lee-his daughter Carolyn, his wife Charlotte, and his wife Eva, in your answer.Ĥ. Lee and the first Rin Tin Tin shared an incredibly close bond. 15) Do you agree with this assessment? What other forces, if any, contributed to Lee's love of dogs?ģ. As Orlean writes: 'The experience shaped him for the rest of his life, he was always deeply alone.The only companion in his loneliness he would ever find would be his dog, and his attachment to animals grew to be deeper than his attachment to any person.' (p. Orlean attributes Lee's fierce love of dogs to his traumatic childhood, in which both his mother and father abandoned him for a time. Were you familiar with Rin Tin Tin before reading this book? What memories do you have of the famous dog? What was it like to delve back into the history of Rin Tin Tin? If this was your first introduction to him, what impressions did the book give you?Ģ.

Even readers coming to Rin Tin Tin for the first time will find it difficult to refrain from joining Duncan in his hope that Rin Tin Tin's legacy will 'go on forever.' (Oct.1. Orlean directs a sympathetic gaze toward these men so haunted by their memories of the dog that swept them into stardom. Though Rin Tin Tin's contracts began to lapse in later years, Duncan never ceased grooming canine successors and shopping around scripts, and producer Bert Leonard lived on friends' couches as he poured money into colorizing old episodes of The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin. The book follows Rin Tin Tin's trajectory from early Hollywood's 'Poverty Row,' where Duncan sought the dog's first film deal, to international celebrity in silent films, radio shows, and TV programs.

After spending a lonely childhood in an orphanage, the young soldier Lee Duncan discovers on the battlefield of WWI France the puppy that will make a name for him as one of Hollywood's top dog trainers, and become his life's guiding purpose. With this stirring biographical history, Orlean follows up her bestselling The Orchid Thief with another tale of passion and dedication overcoming adversity and even common sense%E2%80%94this one centering on Rin Tin Tin, the German shepherd who founded a film and TV dynasty.

Rin tin tin book review