Many guitarists I play with seem to have learned their G chord fingering out of the same book:

1 |--|--|--3--
2 o--|--|--|--
3 o--|--|--|--
4 o--|--|--|--
5 |--|--1--|--
6 |--|--|--2--

This has the short-term advantage of avoiding using the weak pinkie, but everyone I know who plays this way struggles with smooth chord changes and passing notes.

Try this:

1 |--|--|--4--
2 o--|--|--|--
3 o--|--|--|--
4 o--|--|--|--
5 |--|--|--x--
6 |--|--|--3--

(mute the 5th string with the pad of the 3d finger)
You may find it hard to get the pinkie to behave at first, but once you do you will find that your first and second fingers are available to handle most of the notes in the G major scale. Playing the D on the 2nd string just involves muting (or not picking) the 1st string and fretting with the pinkie.
I find this "home" position opens up a lot of possibilities for melody/accompaniment as well as passing runs.
Also, if you're game to experiment, I second the suggestion that you might find open tunings worth a look, particularly DADGAD and its brothers Open D and Double Drop D. Or check out one of those Third Hand partial capos.
-HM