What a Difference a Dog Makes

June 14, 2010
Jennings (Sing Me Back Home) offers an adoring if uneven look at the wisdom and healing powers of his prized miniature poodle, Bijou. When Jennings and his son, Owen, find themselves battling aggressive prostate cancer and liver failure respectively, they both find solace in the companionship of their "canine Zen master" (whose succinct life lessons are peppered throughout the book). While the setup is moving and Jennings is a charming writer, the book is slight and the advice (putatively from Bijou's point of view) is more trite than profound: "When the sun rises, it's time to get up"; "When a stranger knocks, bark." Still Jennings's wry sense of humor shines through (especially while describing reproducing lizards and Bijou achieving nirvana thanks to spilled Cheerios) and he pays valiant tribute to his beloved pet and friend. It's the rare reader who won't take some pleasure in Jennings's strength (and how smitten he is with the noble Bijou).