A Dog's Purpose, A Novel for Humans by W. Bruce Cameron is a must-read for any dog lover. This delightful book dives right into the heart of both dog and person as it follows a dog's journey through several incarnations. The world as seen through the eyes of a dog who is trying his best to be a "good dog" will captivate you and move you to both tears and laughter.
This was the first book I've read in a long time that I couldn't put down. I was expecting, as with many books about animals, that it would be a bit of an emotional roller coaster, and it certainly had me both laughing my head off and reaching for the tissues, but it also included some mystery and romance as well- as seen through the eyes of a dog of course!
As this dog, who ends up having several names, moves through his lifetimes he ponders what it means to be a dog and what his purpose in life should be. He meets both good people, like the boy, Ethan, who is the love of his life- full of boyish enthusiasm and a sense of adventure, and also darker characters like the sketchy kid next door who seems to bring harm to every situation. He faces many challenges, as a search and rescue dog, as a dog abandoned on a dirt road, and as a dog who is taken in by someone who 'means well' but is overwhelmed herself.
A large part of this story follows this dog as Bailey, a golden retriever, growing up alongside his boy, Ethan, from waiting for the school bus to spending time on the grandparents' farm (where Grandpa slips him food under the table and he helps Grandpa with "chores" which involves napping in the barn), to the confusion of being left behind when his boy goes to college.
This book continued to move me long after I set it down. While at times this book will break your heart, stick with it... it will circle around again, leaving you whole in the end.
