When some people think of angels, they may picture an ephemeral spirit with wings, a halo, and a glowing spirit gracefully hovering above the earth. However, "An Angel Named Jake" defies this image since the "angel" in this true memoir is a four pawed, 75 pound, smiling yellow Labrador retriever named Jake. From the day that the author decided to adopt Jake until his passing, life was not the same. Although Jake's entrance into his human family did not get off to a peaceful start, he came to occupy a cherished place in their hearts. Jake experienced life to the fullest, that included moving in style from one state to another, running away from home, and coming close to death. Despite a brush with the law, Jake seemed to have a benevolent guiding influence on the humans in his life by bringing them together in much unexpected ways to form long lasting friendships. Until the end, Jake displayed an innate understanding of the simple pleasures of life and appreciated the joys of life, no matter the hardships.