Red Dog

By: Louis de Bernières

Narrated by: David Field

Length: 2 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's Summary

Red Dog is a West Australian, a lovable friendly red kelpie who found widespread fame as a result of his habit of travelling all over Western Australia, hitching rides over thousands of miles, settling in places for months at a time and adopting new families before heading off again to the next destination and another family – sometimes returning to say hello years later. While visiting Australia, Louis de Bernières heard the legend of Red Dog and decided to do some research on this extraordinary story. After travelling to Western Australia and meeting countless people who'd known and loved Red Dog, Louis decided to spread Red Dog's fame a little further. The result is an utterly charming tale of an amazing dog with places to go and people to see.

©2001 Louis de Bernières (P)2002 Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Can we listen to Red Dog again?

Would you listen to Red Dog again? Why?

A long drive in the car has always been preceded by this question, have you packed Red Dog? We want to listen to it again. It has been a family favourite for a long time with us. We love Red Dog, and we love the people who love him. He is part of our permanent cast of characters in the nurturing world of imagination and narrative.

What about David Field’s performance did you like?

David Field hits the right note of laconic friendliness that is Red Dog.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This story will make you laugh and it will make you cry.

Any additional comments?

All of us who saw the movie, preferred this story as a listening pleasure.

Top Story

Living in the Pilbara and having seen the statue of Red Dog in Dampia its great to finally hear the story, a great way to pass a few hours highly recommended

Great heart string tugger

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Great expansion on a true story/outback legend. Very good writing makes the story come alive and fills in the blanks with very believable details. Makes the story really come alive.

What did you like best about this story?

The way the author portrayed Red as an independent "thinker" "walk about" dog. I loved the human-dog interactions

Which character – as performed by David Field – was your favorite?

Well not really performed but of course Red

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Reds unfortunate and senseless demise....a real tear jerker

Enjoyable, especially if you like dogs

Nice story, I think everyone believes their dog is a bit like red dog; free at heart but knows where home is

OK for a freebie but glad I didn't buy it

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Although it was well narrated I felt that it was missing a bit of substance. I had to check if it was a children's book early on as nothing much seemed to happen in it.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The fact that the author had pieced together stories of this dog's life from word of mouth stories.

Which character – as performed by David Field – was your favourite?

The dog.

Could you see Red Dog being made into a movie or a TV series? Who would the stars be?

I understand that it has been. Maybe it is better than the book.

Any additional comments?

A bit of a disappointment for a book by this excellent author. I think I'll dig out Captain Correlli's Mandolin again for something a bit more engaging.