Even the Dog Knows, by Jason F. Wright

On the surface this is a book about lost souls and the old dog who loves them all. It's much deeper than that, however, and I found myself pausing to think periodically as I read. By sheer serendipity, given the role baseball plays in the story, I was finishing the book just as the last game of 2021's World Series played out. It perhaps gave me a greater insight to not just the players on the screen before me but those in the book. When you lose yourself, even in something so seemingly benign as a baseball game, you can lose not just your own identity but the touch with reality that binds us together.

Gary has not only lost his way but tied himself so tightly to baseball that he finds himself alone when those about him realize they need more out of life than baseball stats and an ol' baseball bus he has bought. His wife, Meg, has moved out. Now, in Florida, she is ill and uses the excuse of wanting to see their old dog Moses one last time to bring Gary to her and give them a chance to find each other and start over. Moses is old but observant and just wants his people to be happy and together, well, that and some bacon. Grandson Troy, who plays minor league baseball, somehow convinces Gary to not only make the trip but goes along for the ride. In the process, several other lives are touched, both human and canine, for the better.

This book has all the "feels". I found myself in one of moments when my mind sought to make sense of how Gary and Meg grew apart, thinking of the tragedy that shaped them all, but also how we as humans seek to right ourselves, particularly as we age. Of course, the addition of a wonderful, loving old dog only added to the feels, especially as my own dog cuddled at my side. Totally oblivious to both the baseball game playing out on my screen and the role of baseball in the book, she offered pure, uncomplicated love. Unfortunately, life isn't that simply for us humans as Gary, Meg, and their circle of family and friends illustrate. The plot is simple, a road trip to Florida, but their actions, reactions, and how others play into the whole is quite complicated. Except for with Moses. He's a dog and he's love. As voiced by Grace, Troy's girlfriend, well, maybe, Mose is the glue that holds them all together. He's the one that pulls them together, too, when they are broken, despite the barriers humans put up. A thoughtful, intriguing read that I recommend highly. 

Thank you #NetGalley and #ShadowMountainPublishing for the ARC.