Animals as Guides for the Soul: Stories of Life-Changing Encounters

After reading her first book, Animals as Teachers and Healers, I was surprised yet happy to find that Susan Chernak McElroy's next book was just as spiritually enlightening, entertaining, and thought provoking. Animals as Guides for the Soul belongs in every animal lover's library. (I received this book as a gift and stongly recommend it for those seeking the perfect present for an animal lover friend or relative.) Susan Chernak McElroy is a beautiful writer who weaves her own stories about animals with those of other people. I could say that I enjoyed this book for the stories alone -- but McElroy goes beyond storytelling and fearlessly writes about highly sensitive issues related to animals and their humans such as vegetarianism, euthanasia, animal abuse, and death and bereavement. This is more than a "feel good" book. McElroy hides nothing, even her own philosophical questions over animal issues or her very personal emotional struggles concerning the animals she has known in her lifetime. This book was a true joy to read. I have become a committed Susan Chernak McEloy reader and have already begun reading her book on wild animals, Heart in the Wild.

Just a great read ! Its a nice bedside book to put your mind in a good place before falling asleep.

If you love animals, you have to read this book. This is the most inspirational and enlightening book on the subject of animals that you can read and it changed my life forever. I read this book while on vacation in the Azores with my husband and I came home a totally different person. I am much more in tune with my animal friends now than ever before and have made the commitment to devote all of my free time to making this world a better place for all living creatures. Read it and you will want a farm like Brightstar for yourself.

This book touched me at a very deep emotional level. It is THE best book written on the subject, covering all aspects of relationships between humans and animals, from acts of heroism to telepathy to life-long partnerships. This is not just a collection of stories, but an in-depth discussion of how our world views animals, and what we can do to improve conditions for them. I am already a lover of nature and animals, but this book opened my eyes to things I have not known or seen before. This is not a recommended reading for someone who does not appreciate the earth, but for people whose hearts are ready to accommodate the creatures that share with us the planet and are contributing more to our souls than we realize.

This book is just as wonderful as her previous book, it has all the charm and instinct. For those of us who have always loved animals more than people this is our bible. Just try to put it down!