One Dog at a Time - Pen Farthing

I wasn't sure if Mum would like this book, being a girl and all - but I was looking forward to tales of daring-do and soldier stories. In the event, the big tough brave soldier, in between dodging bullets, turned out to be just as daft and soft as the rest of us. Mum couldn't put it down and thoroughly enjoyed every page.

Being written by a Royal Marine, the book is not over sensationalized or overly sentimental - which allows you to imagine how it feels rather than being told bluntly how you should feel - far more effective. We found the writing style to be very good at painting a picture and evoking an atmosphere. You get a real feel for how the lads cope with the whole experience of a war zone, and just how hard it is out there - for us couch potatoes who live in safety and comfort this is a real eye-opener.

We were not aware of the Afghan attitude to fighting dogs, which we are very against, so found the book educational. Little things like the fact that the local Afghan police, who shared the compound, thought it hilarious that the Brits gave their dogs names - they simply call them 'Dog' - highlighted the way they perceive them as more an object than a living thing with character and personality. The resourcefulness of the dogs was pretty amazing - I mean they really found Pen rather than the other way around - it made for a great read.

So we would say that this is definitely worth buying and it is also definitely worth supporting the charity to help these dogs.