He believed the dog was immortal. So begins Susan Orlean�s sweeping, powerfully moving story of Rin Tin Tin�s journey from orphaned puppy to movie star and international icon. From the moment in 1918 when Corporal Lee Duncan discovers Rin Tin Tin on a World War I battlefield, he recognizes something in the pup that he needs to share with the world. Rin Tin Tin�s improbable introduction to Hollywood leads to the dog�s first blockbuster film and over time, the many radio programs, movies, and television shows that follow. The canine hero�s legacy is cemented by Duncan and a small group of others who devote their lives to keeping him and his descendants alive. At its heart, Rin Tin Tin is a poignant exploration of the enduring bond between humans and animals. But it is also a richly textured history of twentieth-century entertainment and entrepreneurship and the changing role of dogs in the American family and society. Almost ten years in the making, Susan Orlean�s first original book since The Orchid Thief is a tour de force of history, human interest, and masterful storytelling�the ultimate must-read for anyone who loves great dogs or great yarns.