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The Year of the Dogs
From a labrador that likes opera to a tooting bulldog, Vincent Musi chronicled the character and personality of everyday dogs and compiled them into one gorgeous and captivating book.
Discover the stunning collection of photographs that shows the majesty, playfulness, and joy that is man's best As a National Geographic photographer, taking pictures of lions, tigers, and bears was a regular day's work for Vincent Musi, but in 2017 he gave himself a new dogs. Using the same lighting and photographic techniques he uses for his National Geographic photography, Musi spent a year shooting portraits of dogs and compiling them into a book complete with all of the tail wags, wet noses, and dogs of all shapes and sizes.
• Features over 100 dogs in a series of exquisite photos with close-ups, profiles, and full body shots along with a narrative about each dog
• Presented in an elegant package that properly showcase the vitality of Musi's photos
• Vincent J. Musi is a popular speaker, National Geographic photographer, and owner of the Unleashed Studio. He resides in South Carolina
With delightful and informative bios displayed next to each portrait, The Year of the Dogs will have you entertained and doggedly coming back for more.
Makes an excellent coffee table book for casual browsing and to inspire happy conversations about dogs. The Year of the Dogs will be the go-to gift book for dog lovers of all ages.
Discover the stunning collection of photographs that shows the majesty, playfulness, and joy that is man's best As a National Geographic photographer, taking pictures of lions, tigers, and bears was a regular day's work for Vincent Musi, but in 2017 he gave himself a new dogs. Using the same lighting and photographic techniques he uses for his National Geographic photography, Musi spent a year shooting portraits of dogs and compiling them into a book complete with all of the tail wags, wet noses, and dogs of all shapes and sizes.
• Features over 100 dogs in a series of exquisite photos with close-ups, profiles, and full body shots along with a narrative about each dog
• Presented in an elegant package that properly showcase the vitality of Musi's photos
• Vincent J. Musi is a popular speaker, National Geographic photographer, and owner of the Unleashed Studio. He resides in South Carolina
With delightful and informative bios displayed next to each portrait, The Year of the Dogs will have you entertained and doggedly coming back for more.
Makes an excellent coffee table book for casual browsing and to inspire happy conversations about dogs. The Year of the Dogs will be the go-to gift book for dog lovers of all ages.
300 pages, Hardcover
Published September 17, 2019
32 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 18, 2020
There has to be a bigger, deeper, more all encompassing word than love for how I feel about this book.
From full breeds to mutts, puppies to seniors, Mr. Musi has captured the essence of every dog in every image. I found myself looking into the soulful eyes of so many, laughing, crying and wishing I could have been there for every session. The paragraphs accompanying the photos provide a little insight into the dog and just as much into the photographer’s mind and process. Quirky and sweet, the dogs and the man.
There’s noble Anubis, a Great Dane rescue who’s afraid of her own shadow, flatulent Tolliver, a French bulldog who warns with his ears, springs in her legs Tipper, the sweet mutt and Dove, Bullet and Bliss, a three-generational trio of spaniels. You’ll also meet Rocco the one-eye Jack Russell, three-legged Darcy whom the author calls ‘a catchy mixtape of breeds,’ Flynn, a ‘consolidation of various terriers who’s found a second life as a PTSD therapy dog and Bear, the Saint Bernard who needed saving and who saved his owner right back.
But it’s the old dogs I’m most partial to, something about those sugar faces, knowing how much love they’ve brought into the world and knowing their journeys are far shorter than they should be, that always get to me. The last photo is of such a dog, Roy Boy McCall. Cue the tears.
I don’t want to give the impression this is a sad book, quite the opposite, it’s one of the most joyful books I’ve lived with for the past three months. There isn’t an image here I haven’t come back to several times. I have two dogs of my own, they bring me untold joy, but Mr. Musi has captured something so special in these dogs, it’s something beyond love.
From full breeds to mutts, puppies to seniors, Mr. Musi has captured the essence of every dog in every image. I found myself looking into the soulful eyes of so many, laughing, crying and wishing I could have been there for every session. The paragraphs accompanying the photos provide a little insight into the dog and just as much into the photographer’s mind and process. Quirky and sweet, the dogs and the man.
There’s noble Anubis, a Great Dane rescue who’s afraid of her own shadow, flatulent Tolliver, a French bulldog who warns with his ears, springs in her legs Tipper, the sweet mutt and Dove, Bullet and Bliss, a three-generational trio of spaniels. You’ll also meet Rocco the one-eye Jack Russell, three-legged Darcy whom the author calls ‘a catchy mixtape of breeds,’ Flynn, a ‘consolidation of various terriers who’s found a second life as a PTSD therapy dog and Bear, the Saint Bernard who needed saving and who saved his owner right back.
But it’s the old dogs I’m most partial to, something about those sugar faces, knowing how much love they’ve brought into the world and knowing their journeys are far shorter than they should be, that always get to me. The last photo is of such a dog, Roy Boy McCall. Cue the tears.
I don’t want to give the impression this is a sad book, quite the opposite, it’s one of the most joyful books I’ve lived with for the past three months. There isn’t an image here I haven’t come back to several times. I have two dogs of my own, they bring me untold joy, but Mr. Musi has captured something so special in these dogs, it’s something beyond love.
December 30, 2019
This book of studio dog photos is gorgeous. Each is taken against a dark background, and each has its own little story to go with it. The dogs show their personalities in the photos. The writing is less stellar than the photos. Sometimes its great and seems to fit the dog perfectly, but occasionally, it seems like it just tries too hard. Still, I liked knowing a bit about each dog, and also the trials and tribulations of trying to photograph these wonderful creatures. The quality of the physical book is excellent – well printed on glossy pages and well bound. The size is good, too. Bit enough to see all the nuances of the photographs but not so large as to be as unwieldy as coffee table books. Any dog lover would appreciate these photos and stories.
March 19, 2020
Cute! Some of the stories are alright, could be better, lol. Sometimes the author just goes on these long random rambles that I'm like, wait, he's talking about a dog, right?
Content:
Language--a few hel*s or dam*s
Sexy stuff/Romance--No romance, but Louie's story is kinda awkward. The author mentions
Violence--Some of the stories mention dogs' pasts full of being abandoned, getting hit by cars, abused, etc.
Content:
Language--a few hel*s or dam*s
Sexy stuff/Romance--No romance, but Louie's story is kinda awkward. The author mentions
Violence--Some of the stories mention dogs' pasts full of being abandoned, getting hit by cars, abused, etc.
August 7, 2020
OHMYGOODNESS ALL THE DOGS THERE ARE SO MANY DOGS AND THEY ARE ALL SO WONDERFUL AND THEY COME WITH BRIEF OFTEN HUMOROUS BIOS AND THE PICTURES ARE SO CLEAR AND SO GOOD AND I WANT TO ADOPT ALL THE DOGS!
Vincent J. Musi is a National Geographic wildlife photographer who took a year off to spend it with his 16 year old son. I learned over the course of this book that he and his family are South Carolinians, which was icing on the cake for me, knowing that all these glorious pups are so very near me. During that year, Musi photographed pet dogs instead. So these are that level professional portraits... of man's best friend. Not only are there these gorgeous canines, but there's also 1-5 short paragraphs about each dog, so you get to know their personalities. I laughed out loud a few times for sure! Even if you're not a dog person, I think I'd recommend. It's just really high quality.
Vincent J. Musi is a National Geographic wildlife photographer who took a year off to spend it with his 16 year old son. I learned over the course of this book that he and his family are South Carolinians, which was icing on the cake for me, knowing that all these glorious pups are so very near me. During that year, Musi photographed pet dogs instead. So these are that level professional portraits... of man's best friend. Not only are there these gorgeous canines, but there's also 1-5 short paragraphs about each dog, so you get to know their personalities. I laughed out loud a few times for sure! Even if you're not a dog person, I think I'd recommend. It's just really high quality.
November 5, 2019
The Year of the Dog is a beautiful book. It’s one I will keep on the coffee table and can recommend it as a Christmas gift for any dog lover. Gorgeous photos with accompanying stories about each dog.
Vincent Musi is a National Geographic photographer who was frequently in challenging situations photographing tigers, lions and other wildlife in the field. When he decided to suspend travel to be with his family for a year he took up a challenge of opening a studio exclusively for dog portraits.
This heavy and lovely book is the result. The photo below reminds me of our old chow Sally. I wanted to share at least one dog profile so you could see one of the photos and format.
Again, if you are a dog lover you’ll love looking through this book and reading about each animal.
*This was a complimentary copy from LibraryThing and I was not compensated for my review. Thank you LibraryThing and Chronicle Books.
Vincent Musi is a National Geographic photographer who was frequently in challenging situations photographing tigers, lions and other wildlife in the field. When he decided to suspend travel to be with his family for a year he took up a challenge of opening a studio exclusively for dog portraits.
This heavy and lovely book is the result. The photo below reminds me of our old chow Sally. I wanted to share at least one dog profile so you could see one of the photos and format.
Again, if you are a dog lover you’ll love looking through this book and reading about each animal.
*This was a complimentary copy from LibraryThing and I was not compensated for my review. Thank you LibraryThing and Chronicle Books.
May 11, 2020
4.8. Lovely book, full of beautiful pictures of beautiful dogs, beautifully written. Often very funny, too.
November 3, 2019
I was so pleased to receive a copy of The Year Of The Dogs from Chronicle Books.
It is a beautiful assemblage of photography and literary sketches of canine companions that are unique and distinctive personalities.
A must own for dog lovers.
5 star plus a thank you to Vincent Musi for sharing this charming collection.
It is a beautiful assemblage of photography and literary sketches of canine companions that are unique and distinctive personalities.
A must own for dog lovers.
5 star plus a thank you to Vincent Musi for sharing this charming collection.
September 23, 2020
4.5/5 Stars
The Year of Dogs by Vincent J. Musi was an absolute delight! Perfect for any dog lover, this coffee-table book features full-page spreads, in full color, printed on high quality glossy paper. Accompanying the photographs are little blurbs about the featured canine and often, equally about the photographer. I love the photographs, they're full of life and personality. From puppies to senior dogs, mutts to pure breeds this book has them all, each with their own distinct personality and story to tell. I loved paging through this, admiring the photographs and reading each blurb a little at a time, especially at the end of the day when I needed a smile. Absolutely delightful!
The Year of Dogs by Vincent J. Musi was an absolute delight! Perfect for any dog lover, this coffee-table book features full-page spreads, in full color, printed on high quality glossy paper. Accompanying the photographs are little blurbs about the featured canine and often, equally about the photographer. I love the photographs, they're full of life and personality. From puppies to senior dogs, mutts to pure breeds this book has them all, each with their own distinct personality and story to tell. I loved paging through this, admiring the photographs and reading each blurb a little at a time, especially at the end of the day when I needed a smile. Absolutely delightful!
November 2, 2019
Must read for all dog lovers, especially those who rescue. Musi, a National Geographic photographer, took a sabbatical to work on an independent project . . . a year photographing dogs. Along with the wonderful photos of dogs being dogs, is his "dogography" that accompanies each dog. Musi has captured the dogs, purebreds and mutts and those in-between, in non-poses that range from regal (Winnie) to feisty (Rocco) to euphoric (Peetrie) to sweet (Nessie), not to mention wise and playful and noble. It's a coffee table book you will pick up often because it makes you happy.
January 25, 2020
To say I've read this book means I've studied the first one quarter of the book. I intend to read each dog's story--very short, cute and funny--slowly. This book is meant to be savored. I loved all of the dogs in this book because you could say they're "everydogs," not show dogs or purposefully-weird breeds, but dogs of all ages and sizes. The author says he's dogless, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have an affinity for them. I love looking at dog photos, and it's obvious in this book that the photographer went about his "work" with lots of love for each pooch.
July 30, 2023
I got a Humble Bundle with all sorts of fun dog/cat books! This one was the first I wanted to read, I just love photography, and dogs are adorable/fun. I really had fun reading this one, loved the stories that went with the photographs though sometimes they confused me as they talked about something else than the dog/went on a tangent about something else. But the photographs are just adorable! Loved that some dogs got a few more photographs, and I laughed at some of them (that dog that went after that ball XD).
October 20, 2023
Very light and fun reading. Always surprised to start a new page wondering where the author is going with that story that is not even about the dog that is photographed, just for him to somehow include the dog in the comparison/metaphor/story and make each page and portrait unique and perfect. I will need more of those stories asap.
March 8, 2025
This was an absolutely beautiful photographic coffee table book. The subjects of the book were captured in stunning poses by a masterful photographer. Each subject has a little bit of a story attached to each photograph, however, as other reviewers have stated, it would've been nice if they had been more personal. This is a lovely book to display in your library or on your coffee table.
November 3, 2019
I enjoy photography books but they are never enough! The pictures are so beautiful and the accompanying text just right but I’m always left wanting more. This is no exception - everything is perfect but I want more, more pictures, more stories, more dogs.
January 22, 2020
Photographs are heartwarming, sometimes breathtaking. Each dog's personality is captured so well; if you think all dogs are alike look into the eyes of these dogs and read their brief "bios" and you will learn differently. Loved every page of this book!
September 13, 2023
Beautiful pictures and stories. If you don't follow Vincent Musi on Instagram you should. He posts on Sundays and the pictures and stories that go along with them always make for a great start to the day.
December 23, 2019
Incredible photography. Funny stories. Dogs. What more do you need? Great gift book for the dog lover.
December 29, 2019
NOT ENOUGH STARS FOR THE GOOD BOISSS AND GOOD GALSSS
December 31, 2019
What a joy!
March 27, 2020
Wonderful photos and humorous vignettes. Good diversion during a stressful time. All dogs are precious, all lives are precious. I recommend this as a thoughtful gift or a coffee table book.
March 29, 2020
Fantastic photos and great text to go along.
April 10, 2020
It's a wonderful book full of Beautiful dog photos and fantastic stories.
December 3, 2020
It's cute. I read part of it and then just looked at the pictures. A fun book.
February 2, 2021
If you like dogs, this is a good book to read, bu mostly look, through.
March 22, 2021
Love it! Full of beautiful pictures full of personality and complete with hilarious captions related to each dog.
March 24, 2021
Got it as a b-day gift. This book was super cut and aw so adorable. It's a great coffee table book and I would recommend any dog lover to get it!
January 11, 2022
Best way to start my year!!!
November 9, 2022
Wonderful pictures and amusing, witty comments on each dog. You don’t have to be a dog lover to appreciate the photography.
January 11, 2024
Wonderful.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews