Beautiful Joe

by Marshall Saunders

Overview

First published in 1893, Marshall Saunders’s “Beautiful Joe” is a remarkable classic of Canadian literature that explores issues of animal cruelty. An instant success upon its release “Beautiful Joe” became the first book to sell over a million copies in Canada. Told from the point of view of the main character, the novel is loosely based on the true story of a horribly abused terrier-mix named Joe, who was rescued by a friend of the author. As Joe begins to tell his story, the reader quickly meets his cruel owner Jenkins. Jenkins mistreatment grows more intense over time and the reader develops a deep sympathy for Joe and his canine friends. Joe’s journey through abuse to being rescued and finally cared for is a harrowing and emotional account of cruelty that has inspired generations of animal lovers to work to protect the rights of their beloved companions. This edition includes a biographical afterword.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781420980431
Publisher:	Digireads.com Publishing
Publication date:	12/11/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Margaret Marshall Saunders (1861-1947) was a Canadian author. Saunders was born in the village of Milton, Nova Scotia, though she spent most of her childhood in Berwick, Nova Scotia where her father was a Baptist minister. Saunders is most famous for her novel Beautiful Joe. It tells the true story of dog that has had a difficult puppyhood with many obstacles including a cruel owner. It is told from the dog's point of view. When the book was published in 1893, both the book and its subject received worldwide attention. It was the first Canadian book to sell over a million copies, and by the late 1930s had sold over seven million copies worldwide. In 1934, Saunders was made a Commander of the British Empire (C.B.E.), at the time her country's highest civilian honor. Together with fellow Canadian author, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Saunders co-founded the Maritime branch of the Canadian Women's Press Club. Following the success of Beautiful Joe, Saunders wrote more than twenty other stories, a number of which provided social commentary on such things as the abolition of child labor, slum clearance, and the improvement of playground facilities. Saunders died in 1947 in Toronto, Ontario where she had lived for a number of years.