Life Is Good: Lessons in Joyful Living

People often say they wish they could have a dog's life, with nothing to do but play, eat and sleep. In this charming gift book, popular novelist Koontz channels his golden retriever, Trixie, a former Canine Companions for Independence service dog, to get her tips on the good life. In breathless, stylized dog grammar (""Chase ball! Chase butterfly! Chase cat!""), Koontz advocates long naps, daydreaming and appreciating nature. Some of the advice is cliched (""take time to smell the flowers""), but Trixie also wants people to ""eat joyfully"" and to think of themselves as movie stars (though ""don't get drunk, punch reporter""). The book is laid out beautifully, with adorable pictures of Trixie playing, napping and nuzzling Koontz. In the margins of some pages, she ponders various ""eternal mysteries"" such as ""did Shakespeare really write his plays himself or did his dog help?"" She tells amusing stories and confides her fantasies, one being that a big rig carrying hot dogs will overturn: ""I'm only dog for miles around, and same day Mom buys 20-gallon drum of mustard."" There are entertaining riffs on the joy of summer and the virtue of books (""Books are fun. Dad's books are especially fun""), as well as a pleasantly goofy argument for why dogs should be allowed to drive (""Look so cute. Sight of driving dog lift spirits of human drivers, make highways friendlier""). That all the book's proceeds will be donated to Canine Companions should give both dog lovers and Koontz fans extra incentive to add this endearing volume to their collections.