The Man with the Black Dog – A true modern-day Jock of the Bushveld
By Mario Cesare, (Jonathan Ball Publishers, R195)
This book is a winner. When I first started reading I was a bit disappointed, but after a few pages I realised there was more to this book than meets the eye.
It’s a wonderful story of a man who desperately wants to live in the bush as a game ranger in SA, and ends up with a small puppy who steals his heart.
Shilo is an amazing dog who adapts to living in the bush and is trained by his owner to respect the bush, the animals there and the people.
The dog ends up an expert tracker, saving the life of his master many a time.
The descriptions of the bushveld are so real you imagine them right in front of you and the encounters with the animals make you hold your breath.
The history of the area is told and the inhabitants of the reserves tell their own stories. Being a South African setting, many of the places are familiar.
The relationship between dog and master is one of mutual respect and love. When his dog is threatened by authorities at one reserve, the author leaves the very next day. Nothing else is more important.
Shilo is also there for the author when his toddler wanders off to go home to mother, right past a group of feeding lions.
There are photos of the dog and master showing times in their life together that give you an even closer sight of Shilo.
The book had me grabbing it every opportunity to continue reading. This is a true Jock of the Bushveld story, in modern times, and the love between the author and his dog holds you enthralled. The humour and passion make an exciting read.