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No Better Friend: One Man, One Dog, and Their Extraordinary Story of Courage and Survival in WWII Paperback – June 7, 2016

by Robert Weintraub (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,099 ratings
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The extraordinary tale of survival and friendship between a man and a dog in World War II.

Flight technician Frank Williams and Judy, a purebred pointer, met in the most unlikely of places: an internment camp in the Pacific. Judy was a fiercely loyal dog, with a keen sense for who was friend and who was foe, and the pair's relationship deepened throughout their captivity. When the prisoners suffered beatings, Judy would repeatedly risk her life to intervene. She survived bombings and other near-death experiences and became a beacon not only for Frank but for all the men, who saw in her survival a flicker of hope for their own.

Judy's devotion to those she was interned with was matched by their love for her, which helped keep the men and their dog alive despite the ever-present threat of death by disease or the rifles of the guards. At one point, deep in despair and starvation, Frank contemplated killing himself and the dog to prevent either from watching the other die. But both were rescued, and Judy spent the rest of her life with Frank.

She became the war's only official canine POW, and after she died at age fourteen, Frank couldn't bring himself to ever have another dog. Their story -- of an unbreakable bond forged in the worst circumstances -- is one of the great undiscovered sagas of World War II.
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  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Back Bay Books
  4. Publication date
    June 7, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.25 x 8.25 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0316337056
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0316337052
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

One of NPR's Maureen Corrigan's Best Books of 2015

New York Times Bestseller


"Weintraub... combines a gritty war story with a warm dog story -- readers who like both will think they have gone to heaven.... Where he truly excels, though, is in finding the human dramas, some painful and some inspiring, that figured in Judy's saga."―Kate Tuttle, Boston Globe

"The most inspiring true life account I've ever read of a human-animal bond.... I know this summary makes No Better Friend sound like a canine version of Unbroken. And as a dog lover, I say what could be better than that?"―Maureen Corrigan, NPR

"This is the best dog book since the uber best-selling Marley and Me. But this is no fluffy little dog story. This is a book that will appeal to history buffs -- even those who don't love dogs."―Linda Wilson Fuoco, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"No Better Friend personifies the relationship we all aspire to have with our dogs, and takes us on a harrowing journey to a place and time lost in the history books. A must read for every dog or animal lover."―Robin Hutton, author of Sgt. Reckless: America's War Horse

"In his new book, masterful storyteller Robert Weintraub delivers a spellbinding narrative that reclaims the lost history of two most unlikely heroes: a dog named Judy and fellow soldier Frank. Not only a testament to animal intelligence and a much overdue account of canine sacrifice and service, No Better Friend is also an unforgettable read. Soaring and graceful--like Hillenbrand's Unbroken and Seabiscuit--Weintraub's latest is the stuff of which Hollywood blockbusters are built."―Mim Eichler Rivas, author of Beautiful Jim Key: The Lost History of a Horse and a Man Who Changed the World

"We may have a best-seller on our hands with this carefully reported saga... The narrative of their survival thoroughly won over both readers who ordinarily shun animal stories and those who generally prefer to avoid reading books about war."―The Elle's Lettres 2015 Readers' Prize

"Exceptionally well researched and engaging... NO BETTER FRIEND is an inspiring story, and one that both dog lovers and history buffs will embrace."―Deborah Hopkinson, BookPage

"From Shanghai and the Yangtze River to the prison camps of Sumatra, the indomitable English pointer Judy proves to be more than just a survivor, but an inspiration to those who knew her during the ravages of the War in the Pacific. Robert Weintraub provides a meticulous chronicle of the strength and will to survive of both man and dog."―Lisa Rogak, author of Angry Optimist and Dogs of War

An "incredible saga.... Weintraub's paean to a remarkable dog will be seen by animal lovers as affirmation that all pets deserve our respect, because any one of them might save a life (or many lives) and inspire a nation, as Judy did --- given the chance."―Barbara Bamberger Scott, BookReporter

"By turns harrowing and heartwarming."―William Hageman, Chicago Tribune

"Robert Weintraub captures the beauty and power of friendship and loyalty between man and animal in this captivating narrative. We'd all be lucky to have a dog like Judy by our sides in our darkest times."―Cate Lineberry, author of The Secret Rescue: An Untold Story of American Nurses and Medics Behind Nazi Lines

"An unusual and moving story of a singular hero among fellow POWs of the Japanese during World War II: a loyal British pointer named Judy. With bite and substance, Slate columnist Weintraub chronicles Judy's incredible life.... Weintraub's research on the prisoners' experiences in the camps is remarkable as he narrates Judy and Frank's heroic tale."―Kirkus

About the Author

Robert Weintraub is a frequent contributor to the New York Times and Slate and the author of the acclaimed books The House That Ruth Built, The Victory Season, and No Better Friend.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Back Bay Books; Reprint edition (June 7, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0316337056
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0316337052
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.25 x 8.25 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 1,099 ratings

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Robert Weintraub

Robert Weintraub

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Robert Weintraub is a frequent contributor to the New York Times, a columnist for Slate, and the author of the acclaimed books The House That Ruth Built and The Victory Season.

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
1,099 global ratings
amazing
5 Stars
amazing
powerful book about the prison camps and the faithfulness of a dog.
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Top reviews from the United States

Charlene
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written
Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2019
Verified Purchase
A gift for my mother. My father passed in 2017. He raised purebred pointers and I thought she would enjoy this story as Daddy was also a WWII veteran and she lives through those war years as well.
2 people found this helpful
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CharB
5.0 out of 5 stars A great story
Reviewed in the United States on February 10, 2024
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A really great story, well written and well researched.
2 people found this helpful
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Renee C. Ozer
5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible Exploits of Dog and Men
Reviewed in the United States on May 20, 2016
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Judy the English pointer was the ultimate military operative - unflappable, phlegmatic, brave, resourceful, and lucky. She had two ships sunk under her, was shot at by labor camp guards, and narrowly missed being eaten by a crocodile. She saved many allied military from beatings or death, often by lunging at guards, teeth bared, and then running off before they could shoot her, and once by running through a barracks with a skull in her mouth, terrifying the Japanese guards. She teamed up with Frank Williams, a reserved Royal Airforce radar man, who had let the poor emaciated animal have his bowl of rice despite his own starved state, who showed great ingenuity in keeping himself and the dog alive. He went to dangerous lengths to get her declared an official POW (who would have thought of this, or have realized that it would matter) and to smuggle her away from danger, for instance, teaching her to lie limp in the hot sun in a rice sack slung over his shoulder.
But this isn't just a dog story. It's the story of the building of the Sumatran railway by slave labor (a project separate from the more famous Siam/Burma railway), and how the POWs struggled to maintain their humanity - starting a library, assembling radios from pilfered parts, holding quiz contests - even at a time when a boa constrictor looked like a good meal. There were heroic men who stepped in to save their fellows - such as the irrepressible Sjovald Cunyngham-Brown, who organized boats to rescue shipwrecked military men from Pompong Island, later pushed an injured sailor off a sinking ship and then kept his head above water for hours, and jumped into a latrine pit to try to save a drowning man. At the end of the war, Lady Mountbatten was flown to Sumatra to survey the labor camps and was greeted by Lt. Cunyngham-Brown, who had lost his one remaining article of clothing, a tattered loincloth, as he ran to meet the plane. Lady Mountbatten looked at him levelly and said, "What you need is a cigarette!" (Infuriatingly, Cunyngham-Brown wrote two books after the war, but not his memoirs.)
I have also read "Farthest Field: An Indian Story of the Second World War" and "The Railway Man" (okay - I just saw the movie), which also give on-the-ground accounts of the Pacific theater. I enjoy these accounts, which are much more immediate than the generals' views common to many history books and give a much clearer picture of how appallingly unprepared and arrogant the British were against a Japanese assault.
18 people found this helpful
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H.
5.0 out of 5 stars Hero dog of WW2
Reviewed in the United States on August 20, 2023
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This book is for WW2 history buffs and dog lovers.
I couldn't put it down.
Amazing story of Allied POWs ( of theJapanese) ,their story of survival, and Judy. the dog who kept them going.

Good girl Judy!
One person found this helpful
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BPraet
4.0 out of 5 stars Great story - just a little too wordy
Reviewed in the United States on July 4, 2015
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An incredible true story of survival and the bonds created between man and dog caught in the hell of being POW's in the hands of their ruthless Japanese captors in WWII. Although I loved the story, my only criticism is that the author includes far too many ancillary characters who detract from the main story (i.e. you often don't know if a character will be essential to the story or simply make a brief cameo). While all of these individuals certainly deserve recognition for the suffering and heroism they endured, many of them could have been left out of this book. Finally, Weintraub has an extraordinary vocabulary, but could improve the flow of the story by omitting a few of his "fifty cent" words which really aren't necessary and do nothing to make this an easy read. I've seen other versions of "Judy's" story and haven't read them, but suspect that they might be a bit quicker read. In one form or another, a little known story about a heroic and amazing dog which needs to be told and enjoyed by all (dog lover or not).
3 people found this helpful
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BaPa D
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book
Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2022
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This is by far the best book I have read in years not because of a great writing style although the writer did a good job it was the unbelievable story and the character’s especially the Dog I read mostly nonfiction because the true stories are usually the best. This story was especially amazing I don’t want to give it away read it you won’t be sorry and please to the few1 star rating really who are you people the dog came through as the most amazing of this story even though all of the prisoners were heroes how anyone would not find this story simply amazing is beyond my comprehension put aside your political views or what ever your bias are and enjoy a amazing story Bapa D out
3 people found this helpful
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Annie
5.0 out of 5 stars A Dog of War.
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2016
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I have to award five stars for this beautiful book about an incredible dog; her adventures, exploits and sheer tenacity to survive the horrors of World War 2. She begins her life as the mascot aboard a gun boat patrolling the Yangtze River in China, to the mad escape from Singapore as the Japanese invaded and eventually as POW in the tropical jungles of Sumatra.
Her story is intertwined with those men with whom she came in contact during those years of uncertainty and horror.
She eventually teams up with one man in the POW camp and together they beat all the odds to stay alive through their love and devotion to each other.
It is a remarkable story of the suffering and courage of all those men under the brutal regime of the Japanese over the years of their incarceration and the dog who kept their hopes alive.
Judy escapes from the jaws of death herself many times, surviving the sinking of two ships on which she was aboard as well as the hateful guns of the Japanese and Korean guards who would have loved nothing better than to have her destroyed.
Judy survives the war; receives the highest awards offered to animals who served in the war, and eventually travels to Africa with her beloved owner.
This book has everything and will keep you turning the pages.
If you are an animal lover and enjoy stories of WW2 you will love this book.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

BrodieM11
5.0 out of 5 stars Wondferful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 15, 2023
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This book should be read by all school children to truly understand the importance and loyalty of man's best friend and the true horrors of war
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Carol R
5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful story
Reviewed in Canada on February 21, 2021
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I enjoy reading stories about animals and historical events. This book covered both. It has been added to my book shelf as a permanent addition.
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Nai12
5.0 out of 5 stars True Story of the only four paws POW
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
True story of Judy a truly remarkable dog who received the animal VC and she was the only prisoner of war in WW2.
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Zim
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful
Reviewed in Canada on October 3, 2019
Verified Purchase
A great true story of strength, courage , loyalty and perseverance
All of these characteristics are missing today
not in dogs , but everywhere else it seems
Inspiring, uplifting
I loved it
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Lynda Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Countless "Lassie" stories all from one dog
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 12, 2022
Verified Purchase
Judy must be one the most special of dogs. For her spirit, determination, loyalty and courage and what she meant to the service men enduring the most difficult time of their lives. Judy truly was a dog in a million. I wish they would make a film on this. It is an uplifting story even though it's based mainly on the soldiers and sailors in the Far East during WW2 who became prisoners of war and what they endured but fortunately some had Judy to help them.
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