In these five stories Julia Blackburn recalls the significant animals in her life and in so doing gives us a sidelong glance at the human members of her family her painter mother and poet father First comes Congo the bush baby from the jungles of Madagascar via Harrods pet department He slept in an old cap on the back of the door and could leap about the room via the picture rails Then there are tropical fish tortoises chickens guinea pigs foxes the last three a combustible combination pigs and two very distinctive dogs Julias own dog Jason a cocker spaniel whose habits of servility and loyalty Julias father Thomas was determined to undo Hes worse than Rosencrantz and Guildenstern fawning at my heels and Henry a Parson Jack Russell terrier that Thomas got after his divorce a dog of great independence dignity and forbearance whom his master used to take mountaineeringThis is a delightful book wry funny and wise and unmistakably the work of Julia Blackburn