A Dog's Purpose

A Dog's PurposeBetter than The Art of Racing in the Rain
I got an early Advanced Reader's Copy of this book from a friend in publishing because I'm a huge book person, and I have to say, I loved, loved, loved this book! I think it's a much better book than "The Art of Racing in the Rain" which I also read and loved at the time, but what I loved about this was the fact that the dog seemed more like a real dog, rather than a dog that understood English. It's so artfully written, we don't know how the dog is writing the book, but it's almost like he's a tape recorder or something, the reader will read an entire conversation that people are having, and then the dog narrator says something like, "nobody mentioned biscuits or a car ride."

But, just like real dogs, this dog is keenly in tune with people's emotions. He can sense and smell their fear, upset, love, whatever. An example of how beautifully this works is a conversation a man and woman are having where the woman asks the man if he thinks she's getting fat, and all of a sudden the dog senses incredible fear from the man and rushes to his side, but the fear the dog is sensing is just the fear of having to ask the dreaded question, "do I look fat?"

Both hilarious, and felt really, really true.

So the book is funny, but also very, very moving. It's a much deeper book than you think it's going to be. I cried, but they were healing tears, and I've found myself thinking about it again and again. I know it's a book I'll read more than once. Ultimately, the lessons the dog learns are so spiritual, and so true. I feel like what the dog learns is that nothing is more important than the bonds between us, nothing else really matters. Living in the moment, embracing the joy of life whenever possible, realizing that in the end, the way we treat those closest to us is all that matters, this book was about all that, and more.

It's a book I'll be giving a lot of people. It really made me think about what is my life's purpose, and am I truly fulfilling that?

Honestly, it's one of the best books I've ever read. I think it's destined to be a classic. It's great writing, because it isn't writing that is show-offy, or drawing attention to itself. It's just great storytelling. A book to treasure. And though it's not a kid's book, you could read it with a child, and it would be a great experience for both of you.

Seriously, it's a treasure. I cannot reccomend it enough.