Space dogs were part of Soviet propaganda, perhaps in its most demonstrative form.
This was quite an apt birthday book as my birthday shares the date with the anniversary of the first animal in space. Many of us have heard of Laika, the dog Russia sent into orbit, but many don’t know the sad story surrounding her, and that of many other Soviet Space Dogs. A few hours into her mission, Sputnik overheated due to miscalculations and poor Laika died, alone and scared.
Most of what I’ve read about the space race has been from the US perspective, so it was interesting to read a Russian book. The translation isn’t amazing (or maybe the original lacks something) but this is more than made up for by the abundance of Soviet imagery, from propaganda to merchandise, all showing the dogs as proud Soviet heroes. There were even children’s books written about them.
Much of what we know now was hidden from the public. In fact, the USSR kept their space programme shrouded in secrecy as the believed their great socialist state couldn’t be seen to fail. Yet they were quick to announce their successes when they could show they had beaten America to the post.
This cliched notion that everyone must be ready to die for their Motherland was naturally projected onto Laika.

It’s quite a sad little book though. They chose strays, not just because people wouldn’t care about them, but they believed they would be made of tougher stuff than the average dog. Many died, but some got the privilege of life after space. Some of the scientists involved spoke out in later days that they regretted the suffering they imposed on the dogs. Those that did return to earth had litters to demonstrate how space didn’t affect fertility. Even the US president was gifted a space puppy.
It could have been a bit more in depth, but it’s a gorgeously produced book if you’re interested in imagery of the era, or just want to know a bit more about the dogs who paved the way for human space travel.


Belka, Strelka and Laika.
Goodreads | Amazon | Waterstones | Hive | Wordery | Fuel
Book Source: Gifted
Related posts
3 Comments
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Read Next
Subscribe via Email
Recent Posts
Somehow it's March already, here are 28 books hitting the shelves this month! https://t.co/xfhhuDSBIp
FollowScully keeps stealing cauliflowers! This would not be weird if she stole other food items. But we can leave her wi… https://t.co/RgkyjAu6Oa
FollowIf you happen to be reading articles about Kazuo Ishiguro/Klara and the Sun having not read (or watched) Never Let… https://t.co/Sql7aCHQ6V
FollowForgot how hard fishing is at the start of Stardew Valley. At least they've added a training rod so I have some cha… https://t.co/3lOs92nZRm
FollowCurrently Reading
Black Sun
Today he would become a god. His mother had told him so. The opening line may seem like something any mother would tell her son, but in the case of Serapio, his mother truly believes he will become the Crow God reborn. She blinds him,…
Legendborn
The day Bree gets accepted into an early college placement at UNC, is the day her mother dies. The last words they spoke were of anger. Unable to deal with her dad’s grief on top of her own, Bree goes ahead with the placement. Once…
Ninth House
Alex Stern does not belong at Yale. When she awakes as the sole survivor of a multiple homicide, presumed a drug deal gone wrong, she is given an unlikely offer. Come to Yale, join the House of Lethe and oversee the rituals of the other…
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor
Just let me dust off this blog thing, I have a review for you! One of my anticipated reads released during lockdown was the follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. If you read that, of course will will be dying to know what happened to…
It sounds an interesting, but very sad book. I have a fictionalised graphic novel based on Laika somewhere on my shelves, but have put off reading it on account of possible feels when I do read it 🙂
Wow, this does look like a really interesting book. Tha cover image is spectacular — part Soviet propaganda poster, part Orthodox iconography, part too freakin' adorable.
Oh, and ALSO, happy belated birthday!