Soul of a Dog

Tom Stechschulte adopts a wry, ironic delivery as he recounts Katz's descriptions of life at Bedlam Farm, especially the shenanigans of his menagerie of animals, which will resonate pleasantly with long-suffering animal owners. Katz, who has built his writing career on his observations of his animal brood, especially his dogs, here tackles a question very much in vogue: Are animals self-aware? More specifically, does that awareness continue on after death? Filled with his own thoughts on what philosophers and theologians have to say on this topic, Katz's book succeeds best when he's telling stories about his own remarkable encounters with animals. Stechschulte does an admirable job conveying Katz's faith and doubt as he wrestles with this age-old dilemma. Stechschulte's considered performance reflects the author's own soul-searching. D.G. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine