Tales of Al

March 15, 2022
A celebrated long-distance open-water swimmer recounts the amazing water-rescue canines at an Italian training school. When Cox--a dog lover and author of Swimming to Antarctica, among other books--happened across a video of a Newfoundland fearlessly leaping from a rescue helicopter into a lake to save a drowning man, she was intrigued. Most canines "are terrified of loud noises," and the large, shambling Newfoundlands she had known had never struck her as especially agile. Noting that the dog was part of the Sculoa Italiana Cani Salvataggio, the Italian School of Rescue Dogs, Cox decided to investigate. She flew to Milan to meet the school's vice president, Donatella Pasquale, and her 2-year-old Newfoundland, Al. Pasquale had trained many dogs, including Alyssha, another Newfoundland that had become a lifesaving legend. Al, however, confounded Pasquale due to the slowness of her progress as well as the way she was distracted by everything from insects and ducks to swimmers. In the weeks that followed, Cox shadowed the SICS members to learn how the dogs became water rescuers and swam with the canines to get a sense of what she discovered was an endurance swimmer-like relationship to the water. She also witnessed as a nervous Pasquale took the sometimes-willful Al to be certified by the Italian Coast Guard as a rescue dog. It was only after Al passed that Pasquale realized her dog's distractedness was actually a manifestation of her extreme sensitivity to signals, such as raised wings and arms. She believed other living beings were telling her that they needed to be rescued. Engagingly told in simple yet eloquent language, this unique story about the human-canine bond--and, in particular, one woman's belief in an apparently difficult but ultimately exceptional dog--is a treat for animal lovers of all ages. A heartwarming delight.

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March 28, 2022
The training of water rescue dogs gets a belabored treatment in this rambling blend of memoir, travelogue, and canine adventures from open-water swimmer Cox (Swimming in the Sink). As she relates, her obsession began unexpectedly, when, one day, she stumbled upon a video of a Newfoundland performing a rescue in Lombardy’s Lake Iseo: “I had never seen a dog leap from a helicopter... a dog that courageous.” Immediately “transfixed,” Cox set off to learn more, reaching out to Scuola Italiana Cani Salvataggio—a school of rescue dogs that works with the Italian Coast Guard to help patrol Italian waters—and traveling to Northern Italy. While she recounts meeting and falling in love with the Newfoundland of the book’s title, a charming underdog, most of this is dedicated to meandering anecdotes about exercise and play, famous Newfoundlands—including one that saved 163 people from a wrecked ship in 1828—and memories of her own childhood pooches. The tone is buoyant, but, unfortunately, the prose is flat (reminiscing on her old Labrador, Cox writes, “Everyone in the neighborhood knew Cody. Everyone loved him and he loved everyone”), rendering even the most intriguing musings tiresome. The result is an initially promising account that ultimately feels lost at sea.

May 1, 2022

Open-water swimming legend Cox (Swimming to Antarctica) details her unique experience on Italy's Lake Idroscalo, where she observed the highly specialized training of Italian water rescue dogs--the Newfoundlands, golden retrievers, and German shepherds who save drowning people in Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. After seeing a video of an enormous dog leaping from a helicopter to rescue a swimmer, Cox visits SICS (Scuola Italiana Cani Salvataggio, an Italian school for rescue dogs) to learn more. There she is partnered with Donatella Pasquale and her two-year-old chocolate Newfoundland, Al. Al is adorable, loving, and strong, but also unreliable and unfocused; Pasquale fears he will never complete the training and testing demanded of the elite water rescue program. Cox also interacts with other colorful characters (including the intense Ferruccio Pilenga, the founder of SICS) and even takes part in some of the testing. She is a concise yet dramatic writer, with immersive descriptions of her childhood, her arduous swim training, the sensory experience of swimming, accents, the exploding flavors of Italian cuisine, and doggy behaviors. VERDICT A delight from start to finish; will be greatly enjoyed by fans of dogs, sports, and inspirational memoirs.--Susan Riley

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