In the bestselling tradition of Inside of a Dog and Marley & Me, a
smart, illuminating, and entertaining read on why the dog-human
relationship is unique--and possibly even spiritual.
Dr. Andrew Root's search for the canine soul began the day his
eight-year-old son led the family in a moving Christian ritual at the
burial service for Kirby, their beloved black lab. In the coming weeks,
Root found himself wondering: What was this thing we'd experienced with
this animal? Why did the loss hurt so poignantly? Why did his son's act
seem so right in its sacramental feel?
In The Grace of Dogs, Root draws on biology, history, theology,
cognitive ethology (the study of animal minds), and paleontology to
trace how in our mutual evolution, humans and dogs have so often helped
each other to become more fully ourselves. Root explores questions like:
Do dogs have souls? Is it accurate to say that dogs love us? What do
psychology and physiology say about why we react to dogs in the way that
we do? The Grace of Dogs paints a vivid picture of how, beyond
sentimentality, the dog-human connection can legitimately be described
as spiritual--as existing not for the sake of gain, but for the
unselfish desire to be with and for the other, and to remind us that we
are persons worthy of love and able to share love. In this book for any
parent whose kids have asked if they'll see Fido in Heaven, or who has
looked their beloved dog in the face and wondered what's going on in
there, Dr. Root delivers an illuminating and heartfelt read that will
change how we understand man's best friend.
