PEOPLE I SLEEP WITH

In a G-rated volume with an R-rated name, photographer Fineberg takes an intimate look at "those we let into our beds" by snapping black-and-white pictures of people napping with their pets. Fineberg gives her subjects a two-page spread: one page offers a series of small, seemingly preparatory shots (a cat mincing her away along a bed, for example), while the facing page reveals the real snoozing action (the same cat, joined by more cats and a few dogs, lying on a bed with her human companions). Happily, Fineberg goes beyond cats and dogs: she captures a man dozing in the dirt with two donkeys, a boy napping with his pet scorpion and a woman sleeping with her 125-pound potbellied pig. Some of the photos seem too staged—Can that lady really be sleeping while that gecko's sitting on her face?—but they're charming nevertheless. Complementary quotes (from Jane Goodall, Stephen Budiansky, May Sarton, etc.) accompany the dozens of b&wphotos, and captions at the back of the book reveal more about the photos' subjects. Fineberg also lists some of the benefits of the human-animal bond (e.g., studies have shown that people with pets have fewer minor health problems than people without) as well as the names and addresses of numerous organizations dedicated to animal welfare. This is a sweet, just slightly schmaltzy exploration of the animal-human bond. (Nov.)