If you’re in the mood for some light reading and a dog that will snuggle right into your heart, pick up “The Art of Racing in the Rain” and see for yourself the talent of Garth Stein when writing a novel. You won’t be able to put it down until you’ve read every one of the 319 pages.
And if you are into any kind of auto racing, you’ll enjoy it even more.
The story is narrated by Enzo himself, the very mature and philosophical dog owned by Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.
Through Enzo’s words, his opinions, and his insight into human nature, you get to learn about Denny’s life and problems, as well as his racing career and the people he meets through the track. You’ll meet Eve, Denny’s wife, as well as their daughter, Zoe, and will most likely take an instant dislike to his in-laws, Eve’s parents.
But you’ll laugh at Enzo’s antics, cry over Eve’s illness and feel like talking back to the grandparents who don’t necessarily have their daughter’s or granddaughter’s best interests at heart.
Stein’s style of writing is well worth the read, even if you are not enamored of dogs and auto racing or family life. He makes Enzo come alive, he goes into entertaining and expressive detail about everything from the park where he walks Enzo to the crudely sliced and brown spotted bananas Zoe eats.
In the end, you might be wiping away a few tears, but you’ll have this warm feeling in the back of your mind that you have read of love, danger despair, humility, kindness and love. And you’ll laugh over the fact it’s all presented by a very wise, very old soul of a canine narrator.
About the Author
Garth Stein is the author of four novels: the New York Times bestselling gothic/historical/coming-of-age/ghost story, “A Sudden Light”; the internationally bestselling “The Art of Racing in the Rain”; the PNBA Book Award winner, “How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets”; and the magically realistic “Raven Stole the Moon.” He is also the author of the stage play “Brother Jones.” He has a dog, he’s raced a few cars, climbed a bunch of really tall trees, made a few documentary films, and he lives in Seattle with his family. He’s co-founder of Seattle7Writers.org, a non-profit collective of 74 Northwest authors working together to energize the reading and writing public.
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