What exactly is the meaning of life, anyway? Best-selling author Bradley Trevor Greive tackles this colossal question in his aptly-titled book The Meaning of Life. What the reader discovers through the little book’s words and pictures, however, is that this is a question not easily answered – and in a brief 120 pages, Greive isn’t attempting to provide one single, concrete solution.

From the beginning, Greive warns readers that his book isn’t one containing answers; rather, it’s a book of observational, philosophical questions. And with that, he begins his short book asking all the simple questions most of us have thought in our heads but rarely have discussed with others – questions such as, “Why people care about differences when they are what make life interesting?” or, “If life is a journey, where is the destination?”

Does this make the title deceiving? Hardly. What Greive is trying to tell us is that life is what you make of it. He then offers some guidance on how to make the most of your limited time on earth. Much of this is stuff you’ve already heard – do what makes you happy, go for your dreams, it’s okay to make mistakes and so on. If it sounds cliche, maybe it is. But at the same time, his advice rings true and makes you at least stop for a moment and think. Or at the very least, look at the cute animal pictures found on each page.

The photography alone makes the book worth buying. Taken from various sources, the black and white photos that take up the majority of each page are primarily of animals of all kinds, from dogs to birds to penguins.

Despite the fact that readers could probably discover much of Greive’s advice on their own (if they don’t know already), The Meaning of Life is a great book to have around to flip through if you’re stressed out or need to feel inspired. For photography or animal lovers, the book is a must. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll learn a little something about yourself along the way.

– Christina Amoroso