If you are a dog-lover looking for a light summer read while your pup snoozes beside you, then pick up W. Bruce Cameron's book A Dog's Purpose. If you don't believe in reincarnation, you'll have to suspend your disbelief, but really, it's not that long. I think you can do it.
This is a book written from a dog's eyes - or at least what we humans perceive a dog is thinking. The canine narrator takes us through several reincarnations as he seeks to find his purpose in the lives of his humans. During each life he learns new things about being a dog and eventually all of this will be important in reaching his "nirvana" - that place where he feels he's fulfilled his ultimate purpose as a dog.
What I enjoyed about this book is that it really takes you through many different dog experiences - stray dog, best friend, working dog, hero dog - the list goes on. This particular dog can remember his previous lives and do some comparisons, but this doesn't give him the kind of angst it would give us humans. Generally, he find himself pretty content once he's figured out what his humans want him to do and how he can make their lives better.
Ultimately, isn't that a dog's purpose? To make our lives a little better. They do that is so many ways. Some perform heroic tasks like finding bombs or lost children. Others provide a shoulder to cry on, a friend during those nasty adolescent years, and a friendly lick to come home to.
In short, if you're not a dog person, don't read this book. You won't get it. If you are a dog-lover, it's a nice little light read that will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside - and outside too if you take my advice and read it while snuggling your favorite canine!
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