Just Finished Reading…

Underwater Dogs

By Seth Casteel. 130 pages. Little, Brown & Co., 2012.

This book, which lives up to its title by photographically depicting dozens of immersed canines, truly has something for everyone. If you’re a dog lover, you’ll find the expressions of these submerged animals cute and fuzzy. If you’re not a dog lover, you’ll think of them drowning. Some of the images, with bulging eyes or exposed fangs, can be disturbing. Mostly, it’s a creative exercise in showing how fluids distort our perception of things (and I’m not talking about liquor). The book is beautifully produced to catch all the watery hues and hairy snouts, and exceedingly thoughtful in how it ends with portraits of “The Dogs on Land,” all grinny and drooly and looking happy to have dried off.