Reviewing a 32-page picture book of bulldogs may seem strange. Then again, so is the book. Bulldogs in Bloom, published by BrownTrout in 2000 with photographs credited to Julie Taff and others, places bulldogs in lush garden settings, among roses, tulips and trailing vines, as though they had planted it all themselves. It was part of a series that also included titles like Boxers in Boots and Dachshunds in Doors.
Why it works
Bulldogs are an acquired taste. With their wrinkled faces, underbites and stout bodies, they are not conventionally pretty, and that is exactly why the book is funny. Setting a grumpy-looking dog among delicate flowers creates the same contrast that made so many internet animal memes popular a few years later. The photographs are well made, and the dogs, to their credit, look entirely unbothered.
Anyone who has lived with a bulldog will recognize the expressions: the dignified stare, the sideways glance, the look of a creature that knows it is being photographed and has opinions about it.
A note on the breed
Charming as they are, bulldogs have serious health problems because of their flat faces and compact build, including breathing difficulties and trouble in heat. Veterinary groups, including the British Veterinary Association, have urged breeders to favor healthier body shapes. Anyone inspired by the book to get a bulldog should do their homework and choose a responsible breeder or rescue.
Verdict
This is a book for the coffee table at a bulldog lover’s house, where it will be read in five minutes and leafed through for years. That is all it is trying to be.
Sources: Bulldogs in Bloom (BrownTrout, 2000); Bulldog breed information, American Kennel Club.
