Zen Dog

While scores of books have expounded upon the spiritual qualities of man's best friend (why do so many writers think that they are the first to come up with the not-so-profound thought that ""dog"" is ""God"" spelled backwards?), Zen Dog is unusual in exploring the topic from a Buddhist perspective. The canine stars of this gift book are pictured in black-and-white photographs by Toni Tucker; the portraits are imaginatively paired with quotes from Buddhist, Taoist and other sources. Compiler Judith Atler calls dogs ""furry, slobbering, barking, begging, shedding little Zen masters"" who almost perfectly embody Buddha nature. While some serious Buddhists may dismiss the book as pure fluff, perhaps it will inspire others to appreciate the nirvanic qualities of the perfect Frisbee catch. (Sept.)