A Must Read For Dog Lovers

I think almost every person with a dog has looked at their pet at one time or another and thought, "I wonder what you would say if you could talk?" Well in this novel, Enzo, a labrador-terrier mix, is more than willing to share his thoughts with us.

Enzo is a cool, thoughtful dog. He is jealous of monkeys because they have thumbs. He plots messy revenge against certain people who were unkind to him. He loves watching television. He loves his family even more. Even as his owner Denny, an aspiring race car driver, goes through a painful period in his life, Enzo does everything he can to be supportive and caring, all the while wishing he could do more. He has interesting observations on human behavior, especially the way we treat one another.

One of the reasons Enzo pays such close attention to humans is because he is studying how to be good person. Sometime during the many years of his tv viewing, Enzo came across a documentary that stated dogs can be reincarnated as men. So in his old age, Enzo is not fearful of the inevitable. Instead he longs for the day that he can return as a human and hopefully find Denny again.

Yes, there are some cliched twists and turns to the story. There are also some passages about car racing that a non-race fan might be bored by (although Enzo's description of his first ride in a race car is fantastic!). Despite the book's minor flaws however, you will very likely be reaching for some tissue at the end. You will definitely be hugging your four-legged friend a little closer and a little tighter.

From the book's inside flap:

On the even of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three year battle over their daughter, Zoe, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, depsite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoe at his side. Having learned what it takes to be a compassionate and successful person, the wise canine can barely wait until his next lifetime, when he is sure he will return as a man.