A VERY UNUSUAL BOY – AND – HIS – DOG STORY (REVIEW OF “A DOG’S PURPOSE”)

A Very Unusual Boy – And – His – Dog Story

 

A review of

W. Bruce Cameron A Dog's Purpose (NY: Tom Doherty Assocs., 2010)
                                314 pp     ISBN: 978-0-7653-2626-3

Reviewed by: Forrest W. Schultz

 
     Stories of a boy and his dog have always been among my favorites. One of the best of these stories I have ever read – and the most unusual – is Bruce Cameron's recently published A Dog's Purpose. The title is well chosen because this is a story of a dog telling us how he found his purpose in life. Or perhaps I should say "lives", because this dog had to live several lives before he learned and achieved his purpose.

     This story is the best one I have ever read showing how things look from a dog's perspective. As this dog narrates his experiences we find ourselves empathizing with him. The experiences range all the way from the mundane to the poignant to the humorous. The story is so captivating and so well-written that it is difficult to put down. I highly recommend it.