Bonasa Press, a publisher of innovative books about wingshooting, sporting dogs, fine guns, fly-fishing and other topics in the outdoor and natural history genres, announces publication of an upcoming book, "A Gentleman's Shooting Dog: The Evolution of the Legendary Ryman Setter", by John D. Taylor.

A Gentleman's Shooting Dog: The Evolution of the Legendary Ryman Setter explores two topics in parallel: One is a quest to find dogs that manifest a vision of quintessential excellence-exceptional natural athletes, beautiful in form; with fine noses, wonderful temperaments, a high level of emotional intelligence-dogs capable of fulfilling a gunner's desire for the true shooting companion, the synthesis of nose, legs, heart and brain.

The publisher's press release quotes:

A Gentleman's Shooting Dog: The Evolution of the Legendary Ryman Setter explores two topics in parallel: One is a quest to find dogs that manifest a vision of quintessential excellence-exceptional natural athletes, beautiful in form; with fine noses, wonderful temperaments, a high level of emotional intelligence-dogs capable of fulfilling a gunner's desire for the true shooting companion, the synthesis of nose, legs, heart and brain.

This quest led the author, two decades ago, to one of oldest and finest lines of English setters in North America-the legendary Ryman English setter, the expression of English setter excellence across a century of gunning. The book looks at how four primary individuals-George Ryman, Ellen Ryman-Calkins, Carl Calkins, and today, Ken Alexander through DeCoverly Kennels-have stewarded this exceptional line of English setters through a century of evolution. It shares their compelling love of and belief in these dogs, of bringing the Ryman line through hard times and good, creating a dog that is an icon in today's English setter world-especially when put into perspective against the current state of gun dogs in North America. In continuing the Ryman line across a century, DeCoverly is unique.