George the Dog, John the Artist: A Rescue Story

by John Dolan

The “uplifting, humble, and moving” true story of a troubled, East London artist and a twice-abandoned Staffordshire bull terrier who rescue each other (ForeWord Magazine).   John Dolan grew up rough on the estates of east London. His early life was marked by neglect and abuse, and his childhood gift for drawing was stamped out by the tough realities outside his front door. A life of substance abuse and petty crime eventually landed him in prison. And when he was released, he found himself on the streets, surviving day-by-day, living hand-to-mouth.   It wasn’t until he met George, a homeless Staffy puppy, that his life changed for the better. To begin with, George was a he had been abused himself and was scared of human contact. Soon, John and George became inseparable. It was then that John decided to pick up his long-forgotten gift for drawing, sitting on the sidewalk for hours at a time, sketching pictures of George that he would sell to passers-by.   “With dry wit and a lack of sentimentality,” John recounts how he found his life’s calling with his best friend by his side in this “disarmingly modest yet profound tale of redemption” (Kirkus Reviews).

Genres: Animals, Nonfiction

274 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 2, 2015

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Janci · Rating 4 out of 5]

First I have to commend the author. He can credit George all he likes, but he's the guy that persevered and DID IT. My gosh, do you know how rare and DIFFICULT that is? Having said that, John is a much better artist than author so don't look for a clever turn of phrase, no sentences here you'll read twice just to experience the pleasure again. It doesn't matter, the style is refreshingly unpretentious and the story carries itself. What will happen to John when George crosses the bridge? There will never be another George but there will be another accepting and loving dog right around the corner. Let's hope he finds him, I want to believe in this man.

[Effy · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: John & George
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: John Dolan
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Biography
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 336
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 5/5 ★

I was gifted this book by my sister and I knew I’d fall in love with it the instant I read the synopsis. And fall in love with it I did 🥺

This is an absolutely beautiful and inspirational story about just how life-changing a dog can be. My heart went out to John as he described the situations he found himself in growing up and my heart broke for him- granted, he committed a lot of petty crime but he comes across as such a genuine person as he grows older, who is trying to make amends for his past mistakes and worked incredibly hard to move forward.

It was very eye opening to the heart breaking situation of homelessness and what a vicious circle it is for a lot of people. It’s incredibly sad that like John, a lot of people find prison easier to deal with than the streets, particularly during the winter. I’ve always tried to give either food or money to any homeless people I pass on the streets and I just wish there was more that could be done to get these people back on the road to normality.

I finished this in a few hours and cried my absolute heart out multiple times. I loved the section of photographs in the centre and the sketches of mostly George throughout the chapters. I genuinely feel so grateful that he found George and the path to happiness. As a dog owner, this book really moved me - the incredible bond between dog and human was so clear to see and I completely related to how important a dog can be to you. There is a lot of truth in how much dogs help to give you a purpose- needing to get up early to take them outside, they give you a reason to get out of bed, they are just so pure and good for your well-being.

I don’t want to say too much about the story as it’s such a beautiful one that you need to read for yourself and allow to warm your heart. I would truly love to meet John and George and wish them both the best of luck and happiness with everything they pursue in life.

Thank you @johndolanand for sharing your inspiring and touching story.

[Anika Tng · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s just the perfect feel-good story based on a true struggle and steep learning curve of a man from the streets of London. I inhaled this in a day, because it’s a simple, but interesting read, which opened up my eyes into a chain of events that may lead someone down a criminal and drug-induced path. But in the end, this book left me with a smile, and a new hope in knowing that you never know what journey someone might be on, when you decide to give them a helping hand.

[Theresa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Touching story. But has the same problem as most memoirs. They read like just the facts and lack details and descriptions. This book written 8 months after his first art show had the feeling of being rushed to cash in on momentary fame and buzz. How much attention would John have received if he wasn't a homeless person?

On the other hand, it was a pretty inspiring story. It's kinda like if you have something to life for or get you out of bed in the morning, what can be accomplished.
It also has a dog. Would it have garnered as much attention without the dog angle? Just being a little cynical.
I wish the book had been written 5 yrs after his show when there might be some perspective.

I did like his willingness to really work to improve himself. Its impressive he did the same drawings thousands of times working to improve.

I read it for the book clun and it might generate a fair amount of discussion.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a true story about a man, John Dolan, who made some bad choices as a teenager and young adult was in and out of prison for years and addicted to heroin. Then he was given the opportunity to care for a dog who was also down on his luck, George. Because of George, John stayed out of prison and started to turn his life around. Overall a heartwarming story of friendship and overcoming trials.

[Judy Crudele · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminiscent of "A Street Cat named Bob" where the animal helps the down and out man get back on track in his life. In this case John perfects skills at drawing and becomes noticed for his street art.
In both books, the "owner" of the animal needs to stay on the straight and narrow in order to care for his pet, therefore saving himself in the process.

[Patricia Wchman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this simple, heart warming tale.

[Carla Villar · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is rare that I think that a book could be longer, but each story left me wanting a little more of the story. The "I did X because of Y" made sense but lacked a little emotion.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is both amazing and inspirational. Through perseverance and love George and John form a bond that changes both their lives forever.

[Sue J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very heartwarming story.