Our Peaceable Kingdom

by Margaret Regan and John Drysdale

Book Overview

John Drysdale's photographs are exciting, tender, hilarious, often exhilarating- but for more than the obvious reasons. Certainly it's not every day that one sees a lion that's befriended a Boston terrier. Maybe elephants don't usually go fishing, and parrots generally don't tend to lounge around in beach chairs, next to their human companions. But in the "peaceable kingdom" of John Drysdale, surprisingly unique alliances flourish. His photographs are whimsical and charming, but also carry a very important, necessary truth - the essential bonds of friendship transcend appearances, expectations, and traditions. Cats can love mice, bulldogs can rear squirrels, and foxes can protect chicks. With a refreshingly honest eye, Drysdale has captured the many ways in which the creatures that inhabit the earth bring one another comfort and happiness. Never mind that a burro and a boy are curled up on the sofa, or that a chimpanzee is sunbathing with his human family by the pool. Friendship is where you find it. The familiarity and love expressed in Drysdale's work is heartfelt and very real - as the endnotes explain, the exotic animals that are his subjects were often orphaned as babies, and reared along with the humans and other animals in the photographs. Since his earliest photographs of children frolicking on the cobblestoned streets of London, Drysdale's wonderfully illustrious career has spanned close to fifty years. And in Our Peaceable Kingdom, for the first time, 100 of his most memorable images are collected in one beautiful volume, destined to become a favorite on the shelves of children, adults, animal lovers, and anyone who appreciates a good friend.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312265883
• ISBN13: 9780312265885
• Release Date: October 2000
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Length: 112 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.3" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Absolutely Charming

John Drysdale's delightful photographs will charm any age. Looking at "Excert 1" will give you an idea of his subject matter. In addition to the unusual photos of animals and children, there are fascinating stories, such as the cat who befriended a mouse with 2 photos of them together--one of them napping together and another of them sharing a saucer of milk. The photos and stories are precious and leaves one with a feeling that we do indeed have a "peaceable kingdom." A great gift for anyone who can see--animal lover or not.

Delightful!

This is a fun, entertaining book which would make a great gift for animal lovers. My only wish is that the description for each picture had been placed with the picture and not in the back of the bookl.

A Magical Journey

John Drysdale gives us a rare chance to experience joy, love, delight, laughter and even a sweet sorrow for the fleeting poignancy of his captured moments. His collection rises above the level of coffee-table footrest with moving photographs of children and beloved best friends. What makes these pictures unique is that each has its own story, tales which Drysdale shares at the end of his book, recounting how each unusual match of child and playmate came together. This beautiful book is a delight to anyone with a heart and soul!

A unique, recommended pick

Our Peacable Kingdom presents the photos of John Drysdale in an unusual volume which was destined for the slush pile before an editor rescued it, where it became a hit. Drysdale's black and white images of primarily children and animals provide warm and fun observations of life and ironies. A unique, recommended pick.

Unique, a treasure for animal lovers

This marvelous book is not your usual run-of-the-mill collection of cute animals -- instead, every picture has the same startling quality as that one on the book's cover of a young girl walking her pet alligator. There are horses reading, macaws sunning themselves in beachchairs, and donkeys with limousines and chaffeurs, along with all sorts of other animals, and some charming pictures of children in action. Drysdale is a gem of a photographer, and this book would make a really fine gift for any friend who loves animals.