In the tower of Poggio Petroio, a Renaissance castle in the hills of ltaly's Chianti region, is to be found the Vanessa dei Barabba Florine, the world's only museum devoted to objects created for, about, and in celebration of dogs. In a rich collection of colour photographs, A Dog Lover's Museum captures the charm, humour, and whimsy of this unique private museum while at the same time providing an affectionate and often surprising demonstration of the central place that dogs have occupied in the hearts of so many different people over history. Ranging from kitsch twentieth century salt and pepper shakers to exquisite jewel-encrusted collars from the Renaissance, the museum's' s strength and the consistency with which the dog has commanded our fascination over time, and the warmth and quirkiness with which this fascination has so often been expressed, make this a compelling book for the general reader as well as the dog lover. Like the museum, whose character and atmosphere it captures so well, A Dog Lover's Museum is a one-of-a-kind testament to the variety and colour of the human love for dogs. As such it stands out in the crowded field of dog books, and is the ideal gift for any dog lover.