The Incredible True Story of a WWII Airman and the Four-Legged Hero Who Flew At His Side

I'm the owner of two active German Shorthair Retrievers who keep life interesting , so the opportunity to read a book about a very special dog was interesting. The author's ability to share the incredible bond between Antis and his owner during a very difficult time was special.and heart rendering.
Although the book captured a very special relationship, the story became redundant at times and overstated. This might have been an outcome of the writer trying to share a story somewhat removed from the characters and actual events

Lewis covers this non-fiction account much like his writing about Judy. He seems to write for teenagers rather than well-read adults and again attributes human characteristics to the dog which goes far beyond the reality. I finished the book because of the subject matter and I really enjoy books about WWII. However, it is not a book I would reread and I will continue to look for a more realistic approach to this great story but from the humans' perspectives, not from the dog's perspective.

It is unfortunate to me that Lewis is considered a good author; this to me reflects on the readers who are not very astute as to what would be considered well-written non-fiction. Lewis almost makes this a historical novel by making the dog more human-like than he should be portrayed as.

Wow. Wonderful. Fantastic Story. True story about a dog and his loyalty and love with his owner.

I was so captivated. Could not stop reading. A pilot Robert was shot down by the Germans in 1939. There he met abandoned puppy Antis who would die if not rescued. Robert crawled for hours to safety with the puppy in his shirt. This is one of those truth is stranger than fiction stories. Amazing things happen. It’s nonfiction but embellished with assumed/fictionalized dialogue. I liked the way that was done. It made it more enjoyable.

The story is about the dog Antis from 1939 until Hitler surrendered in 1945. The epilogue states that Antis did some heroic things after the war during Robert’s travel from Communist occupied Czechoslovakia to Britain. That was one sentence. I wish the author wrote more about that.

I’ve heard and read about psychic events here and there. I want to believe those things exist. And this book reinforces my belief. In one episode Robert is on a plane. Antis is at the base. At 1 am Robert is wounded. At that exact moment Antis began howling and grieving in a way he had not done before.

TEARS:
Antis died after a normal life span for a dog of fourteen years. Robert lived after that without Antis. At the end of the book I had a crying session. Antis lived a full life, but I still grieved.

PICTURES:
There are pictures in the physical book. I wish the author provided a downloadable pdf file for audiobook buyers.

AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Derek Perkins did an excellent job.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Unabridged audiobook length: 9 hrs and 2 mins. Swearing language: none. Sexual content: none. Setting: 1940 - 1945 Europe and Great Britain. Book copyright: 2013. Genre: nonfiction, dog nonfiction.

I love dogs--especially German Shepherd Dogs. And I love flying. And I'm a student of WW II. So, unless the writing was a train wreck, this book was virtually guaranteed to get five stars from me.

Lewis did a great job of capturing the loyalty, intelligence and damnable stubbornness of the German Shepherd Dog. This particular creature was evidently a special example of the breed.

Although the airman, Robert Bozdech, had passed away by the time Lewis wrote this book, he did benefit from Bozdech's unpublished manuscript. Some of the events described seem a bit improbable, or at least greatly embellished. And the dialogue from more than seven decades past is no doubt created. It is also apparent that Lewis is not an aviation expert. But still, it's great story.

The writing style is simple--almost at the young adult level. At times I wanted a bit more.

All-in-all though, I really enjoyed the book. And there were a couple of times I had to look up at the ceiling to keep my eyes from overflowing. If you love dogs, the same thing will happen to you.

Clint Eastwood, Ron Howard - TAKE NOTE!!!
If ever a book was deserving of a film adaptation, this is it!
A heartwarming, real world story of not only a man and his dog, but just as importantly, a DOG and his man.
I could not put this book down.
It is an easy read and concise (perhaps too so at times - I wanted to know some of his fellow aviators and ladies more intimately).
But above all, you are in awe of "Ant" (the star of the story) and of his best bud, Robert. What these two went through together and how bonded they became is amazing.
And most amazing of all, it is a true story.

If ever there was movie I wanted to see, it is "The Dog Who Could Fly".
Someone please tell 20th Century Fox to make this movie (they hold the rights?).

But while you await the movie, read this book.
If you love animals, if you believe, as I do, that animal possess qualities that far surpass ours, if you cherish the devotion of all our animal friends, OR if you just want a good story, READ THIS BOOK.

Thanks Damien Lewis for telling such a great story so well.
Thanks Robert and Ant for sharing such a wonderful life.

"The Dog Who Could Fly" is the remarkable true story of a rescued dog who ended up a decorated war hero. Author Damien Lewis did extensive research to learn about the dog Antis and his Czech master Robert, meeting with Robert's children and culling information from a never-published memoir that Robert had written about his exploits with Antis.

The book combines thrilling scenes of World War II air battles with heartwarming stories of Antis's devotion to Robert. Dog lovers will love this book, as there are moments scattered throughout when we are treated to Antis's inner thoughts.

Well-written and well-researched, this book was a delight that I couldn't put down.

A very interesting story about a Czech RAF pilot and the German shepherd he spends his war years with. The topic is grand and could have been a really interesting story. I have to admit that whilst I did like the book I was none too taken with the author's style or presentation. This may be just one of those books for me. The consensus of the other readers here is quite different. It is certainly not a bad book, but I feel the author just did not capture the true essence of the story in this book. Given the fact that the other 21 readers liked it and rated it highly maybe I should just chalk this book up to being a really good book that was not written in a manner of high interest to me. Nonetheless, the book is good, especially for those who enjoy dog stories or WWII tales.

I read mostly sci-fi, fantasy, and professional books. And occasionally books about dogs. As a rule I do NOT read books about war. That said, this was an incredible read!

A recap is beyond my abilities, but the gist of this amazing true story is that a Czech airman and his French pilot are shot down over No Man’s Land. As they attempt to reach the French lines they find a one month old German Shepherd pup that the Czech brings with them.

The dog and man bond. Over the next several years the dog actually flies in fighter bombers and wears his own custom-made oxygen mask, lives through several Blitzkriegs, performs a number of surprisingly intelligent and courageous acts, is wounded by shrapnel twice, shot once, and impaled on a fence.

In other words, he takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

None of which gives any sense whatsoever of how riveting and emotional this story is.

Suffice to say that the dog survives to the ripe old age of 14.

If you love dogs, this is a must read. If not, it is an almost must read!

Highly recommended!

What a wonder incredible story of man and his dog. This story takes place during world war II and Antis, an abandoned German Shepard and Robert an airman share an incredible journey and experience. I'm not a biography reader but I'm so glad I picked up this book. Great photos and history of the war. They survive the war and other events. A wonderful gift for history lovers and pet lovers.

This is an incredible book. The story is compelling. The characters are well-drawn. The relationship betwwen man and dog tears at your heart. I highly recommend this book certainly to anyone who loves dogs, but the strength of Robert and Artis' relationship transcends man and dog.

This is the true story of Airman Robert Bozdech and the bond he forged with a dog named Ant during World War II with lots of adventure. I loved this book! It is an incredible story of how Ant even went on flying missions with his master. You do not have to be a dog lover to appreciate this book though. Please read this book--it's a story you need to hear! It doesn't get any better than this! This is my book of the month so far and will be in my top 10 for the year!

Great book. If you are interested in another WWII story taking place towards the end of WWII in Germany, I would recommend "Save Me Twice," see https://www.the store.com/Save-Twice-Based-True-Story/dp/153747507X/

Great book--well written, well paced. Adventure Story. And most of all, a great love story about a wonderful dog. One of my favorite books now. Hope a movie is made from this book. Am recommending it to all my friends.

Once again Damien Lewis has delivered the goods. The story of Robert Bozdech and his German Shepard Antis is a remarkable one. There are countless books about the bond between man and dog, but this one is unique. Antis may have only had one master, but he was everyone's protector. Flying companion, search and rescue, early warning radar system, even babysitter, this was the dog who could!