About the Book
Enzo
knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human
soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself
by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to
the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.
Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition,
and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. Using
the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate
all of life's ordeals.
On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny's wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side.
A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting
story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain
is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities
of human life...as only a dog could tell it.
****Reviews****
Toronto Star
Novel Melds Life, Auto Racing
"The Art of Racing in the Rain is not an instructional manual.
It if a fictitious novel that pulls at your emotions. Love, devotion,
death and betrayal -- life's highs and lows, all paralleled with the
sport of automobile racing and narrated by a dog name Enzo..."
Road and Track
"If someone had told me I'd spend an entire day of airline travel
(flying to Sebring) reading a work of fiction told from the point of
view of a family dog, I might have been doubtful. But The Art of Racing
in the Rain by Garth Stein had me riveted to its pages until the book
was finished..."
The Dalles Chronicle
Stein’s book stunning
A book written from the point of view of a dog, and lies dying?
Yes it is, and “The Art of Racing in the Rain” is simply
superb.
Seattle writer Garth Stein has put more wisdom, humanity and insight
into Enzo the dog’s thoughts than are found in most human characters
in most books.
Enzo is devoted to Denny Swift, a semi-pro race driver based in Seattle. From Denny he learns to love racing.
A dog of profound understanding, he curses his lack of an opposable thumb, and the big, floppy tongue that won’t allow him to form words, which he understands thoroughly.
Enzo’s relationships with Denny, his wife Eve, and their daughter Zoë are complex and completely absorbing.
This is no Pollyanna book. Some hard things happen, but they are balanced by joy.
“Racing” is sweet without bathos, profoundly moving throughout, and with a perfect ending coda.
Highly recommended.
-- RODGER NICHOLS