Status
Available
Genres
Publication
New York : Harper, 2009, c2008.
Description
Fiction. Literature. HTML: NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE FROM FOX 2000 STARRING MILO VENTIMIGLIA, AMANDA SEYFRIED, AND KEVIN COSTNER MEET THE DOG WHO WILL SHOW THE WORLD HOW TO BE HUMAN The New York Times bestselling novel from Garth Stein—a heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope—a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it. "Splendid." —People "The perfect book for anyone who knows that compassion isn't only for humans, and that the relationship between two souls who are meant for each other never really comes to an end. Every now and then I'm lucky enough to read a novel I can't stop thinking about: this is one of them." —Jodi Picoult "It's impossible not to love Enzo." —Minneapolis Star Tribune "This old soul of a dog has much to teach us about being human. I loved this book." —Sara Gruen.… (more)
Media reviews
Entertainment Weekly
Fans of Marley & Me, rejoice.
Publisher's Weekly
If you've ever wondered what your dog is thinking, Stein's third novel offers an answer. Enzo is a lab terrier mix plucked from a farm outside Seattle to ride shotgun with race car driver Denny Swift as he pursues success on the track and off. Denny meets and marries Eve, has a daughter, Zoë, and
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risks his savings and his life to make it on the professional racing circuit. Enzo, frustrated by his inability to speak and his lack of opposable thumbs, watches Denny's old racing videos, coins koanlike aphorisms that apply to both driving and life, and hopes for the day when his life as a dog will be over and he can be reborn a man. When Denny hits an extended rough patch, Enzo remains his most steadfast if silent supporter. Enzo is a reliable companion and a likable enough narrator, though the string of Denny's bad luck stories strains believability. Much like Denny, however, Stein is able to salvage some dignity from the over-the-top drama. Show Less
Amazon.com
“I savored Garth Stein’s The Art of Racing in the Rain for many reasons: a dog who speaks, the thrill of competitive racing, a heart-tugging storyline, and--best of all--the fact that it is a meditation on humility and hope in the face of despair.”
User reviews
LibraryThing member BeckyJG
Inspiring! Uplifting! It's the next [fill in the blank with a comparable former bestseller here]. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to run hug your dog.
When a publisher or other corporate entity sells a book this way, I cringe and read something else. And that's what I did for more than a year
That's right, I cried. I laughed. I ran home and hugged my dogs.
Enzo, the dog narrator of the story, is an old soul, ready to take the next step on the karmic ladder. "I am ready to become a man now, though I realize I will lose all that I have been. All of my memories, all of my experiences. I would like to take them with me into my next life--there is so much I have gone through with the Swift family--but I have little say in the matter." Preposterous? Yes, but absolutely effective. Enzo is wise beyond his age and station, and it took no time at all for this reader to shed her doubts, take the leap of faith, and simply flow with the narrative.
After the deathbed scene in the opening sequence--no spoiler alert needed; the reviewer is giving nothing away by revealing that the dog dies--the story turns to the past and tells the story of Enzo's life with the Swifts: Denny, a would-be race car driver, his wife Eve, and their daughter Zoe. It's a nicely told domestic drama, narrated by a dog and full of doggish insight into the human condition.
A blurb on the book from Sarah Cypher writing in the Portland Oregonian says that this "is one of those stories that may earn its place next to Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull," as treacly a story of self-actualization pop psychology crap as I've ever read...and loved. Yes, even recognizing its manipulative techniques and Me Generation philosophy I still loved, and love, Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
The Art of Racing in the Rain is a better book, but equally as manipulative of the emotions; I spent the last 20 pages sobbing aloud and was deeply satisfied upon finishing. It's a book with a bit of a schtick, but, ultimately, it's about the things that matter most in life: love, family, and loyalty.
When a publisher or other corporate entity sells a book this way, I cringe and read something else. And that's what I did for more than a year
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after the initial publication of The Art of Racing in the Rain. And then I received a reading copy to coincide with the publication of the paperback edition, and while stuck in traffic on a Friday afternoon I opened it up (I swear, traffic was at a standstill; I didn't put anybody's life in jeopardy). By the beginning of the second paragraph ("I'm old. And while I'm very capable of getting older, that's not the way I want to go out.") the tears were starting to well up.That's right, I cried. I laughed. I ran home and hugged my dogs.
Enzo, the dog narrator of the story, is an old soul, ready to take the next step on the karmic ladder. "I am ready to become a man now, though I realize I will lose all that I have been. All of my memories, all of my experiences. I would like to take them with me into my next life--there is so much I have gone through with the Swift family--but I have little say in the matter." Preposterous? Yes, but absolutely effective. Enzo is wise beyond his age and station, and it took no time at all for this reader to shed her doubts, take the leap of faith, and simply flow with the narrative.
After the deathbed scene in the opening sequence--no spoiler alert needed; the reviewer is giving nothing away by revealing that the dog dies--the story turns to the past and tells the story of Enzo's life with the Swifts: Denny, a would-be race car driver, his wife Eve, and their daughter Zoe. It's a nicely told domestic drama, narrated by a dog and full of doggish insight into the human condition.
A blurb on the book from Sarah Cypher writing in the Portland Oregonian says that this "is one of those stories that may earn its place next to Richard Bach's Jonathan Livingston Seagull," as treacly a story of self-actualization pop psychology crap as I've ever read...and loved. Yes, even recognizing its manipulative techniques and Me Generation philosophy I still loved, and love, Jonathan Livingston Seagull.
The Art of Racing in the Rain is a better book, but equally as manipulative of the emotions; I spent the last 20 pages sobbing aloud and was deeply satisfied upon finishing. It's a book with a bit of a schtick, but, ultimately, it's about the things that matter most in life: love, family, and loyalty.
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LibraryThing member CBJames
Garth Stein takes his chances with treacle overdose in The Art of Racing in the Rain. The novel's hero, Denny, faces his wife's struggle with terminal illness only to face his in-laws in a protracted battle for the custody of his young daughter. As if this plot wasn't risky enough, Mr. Stein
But it works. In large part because Enzo, the dog narrator, is sure to win over even the most skeptical, urban sophisticate like yours truly. Enzo begins his story at the end--he is old, his body is starting to break down, but he is looking forward to his next incarnation as a human since he has successfully overseen the happy ending the novel will eventually reach. Enzo, like many pets, has spent much of his life home alone with the television on, Public Television. He once saw a program about Buddhism in Mongolia that explained the high position dogs hold, so high that the next step up is reincarnation as a human. Enzo is devoted to his owner, Denny, as only a dog can be. He hopes this devotion will lead him to life as a human being.
A dog narrator has it pluses and it minuses. On the plus side, people assume they can talk freely in front of a dog. Those given to thinking out loud make confessions to dogs, revealing secrets they wouldn't dream of telling anyone else. (If they're like me, they pause their confessions to give the dog a chance to jump in with her view.) Thus, Enzo is a first person narrator who is almost able to function as a third person omniscient one. He knows more than anyone else possibly could. As an intelligent, thinking being, he is able to editorialize about what the humans in the story are up to. However, because he is also a character in the book, his narration never comes across as the voice of the author preaching to the audience; it's just what one character thinks about another. On the minus side, he is a dog. A dog cannot offer testimony in a court of law, nor can he do much to change the course of events in the human world though he does do what he can, often to great effect. There are a few points in the novel where I would have preferred to be where the action was, instead of home with the dog watching television.
The Art of Racing in the Rain could have gone terrible wrong, it could have ended up a simple tear-jerker, just another re-telling of Kramer vs. Kramer, this time with a father who wants to be race car driver. It's really Enzo, the dog-narrator, who saves the book from this fate. In spite of his religious beliefs and his ability to understand very high levels of language, he remains a dog devoted to pleasing his master. His love for his owners has no limit so once we start rooting for Enzo we can't help but root for Denny. Fifty or sixty pages into the book, urban sophistication began to give way. Thirty pages more, Enzo had won me over completely. I'm embarrassed to admit how much I liked him.
Good dog.
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chooses Enzo, the family dog, as the narrator for his novel. If this doesn't raise enough red flags to decorate a used car lot, consider that Enzo's age, which puts him in his final years, has made him start dreaming of reincarnation as a human. This could all go horribly wrong.But it works. In large part because Enzo, the dog narrator, is sure to win over even the most skeptical, urban sophisticate like yours truly. Enzo begins his story at the end--he is old, his body is starting to break down, but he is looking forward to his next incarnation as a human since he has successfully overseen the happy ending the novel will eventually reach. Enzo, like many pets, has spent much of his life home alone with the television on, Public Television. He once saw a program about Buddhism in Mongolia that explained the high position dogs hold, so high that the next step up is reincarnation as a human. Enzo is devoted to his owner, Denny, as only a dog can be. He hopes this devotion will lead him to life as a human being.
A dog narrator has it pluses and it minuses. On the plus side, people assume they can talk freely in front of a dog. Those given to thinking out loud make confessions to dogs, revealing secrets they wouldn't dream of telling anyone else. (If they're like me, they pause their confessions to give the dog a chance to jump in with her view.) Thus, Enzo is a first person narrator who is almost able to function as a third person omniscient one. He knows more than anyone else possibly could. As an intelligent, thinking being, he is able to editorialize about what the humans in the story are up to. However, because he is also a character in the book, his narration never comes across as the voice of the author preaching to the audience; it's just what one character thinks about another. On the minus side, he is a dog. A dog cannot offer testimony in a court of law, nor can he do much to change the course of events in the human world though he does do what he can, often to great effect. There are a few points in the novel where I would have preferred to be where the action was, instead of home with the dog watching television.
The Art of Racing in the Rain could have gone terrible wrong, it could have ended up a simple tear-jerker, just another re-telling of Kramer vs. Kramer, this time with a father who wants to be race car driver. It's really Enzo, the dog-narrator, who saves the book from this fate. In spite of his religious beliefs and his ability to understand very high levels of language, he remains a dog devoted to pleasing his master. His love for his owners has no limit so once we start rooting for Enzo we can't help but root for Denny. Fifty or sixty pages into the book, urban sophistication began to give way. Thirty pages more, Enzo had won me over completely. I'm embarrassed to admit how much I liked him.
Good dog.
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LibraryThing member SouthernGirlReads
Let me start by saying you don't have to like racing to enjoy this book. The ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein is not all about racing, although there are parts that do talk about racing, but in the way a racer thinks.
This is a story about a dog and his family. His master, Denny is a
If you are lucky enough to have had a great dog, like I was, I think you'd appreciate this book even more. I lost my dear Mandy, an Australian Sheppard/Chow mix 2 years ago to old age. This book brought to the surface all the emotions and feelings I had for her. All I can say is if you are a dog lover, you will appreciate and love this book. Even if you aren't a lover of dogs, its still a great story about a family.
Sometimes when I've heard alot about a book, I tend to expect too much from it and get disappointed. Not in this case. I really loved this book. Garth Stein has a winner here.
This is a story about a dog and his family. His master, Denny is a
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Formula One race car driver (not a NASCAR driver as some presume) and Enzo, our canine narrator, does love racing, but he loves his Denny much more. I didn't know what to expect from this book. I heard about all the hype, but I guess I just didn't expect such a loving story, especially told by a dog. Having the narrator be a dog gave the story such an innocent and honest interpretation of how humans handle and react to certain situations. I'll tell you this: I'll never look at a dog the same again. If you are lucky enough to have had a great dog, like I was, I think you'd appreciate this book even more. I lost my dear Mandy, an Australian Sheppard/Chow mix 2 years ago to old age. This book brought to the surface all the emotions and feelings I had for her. All I can say is if you are a dog lover, you will appreciate and love this book. Even if you aren't a lover of dogs, its still a great story about a family.
Sometimes when I've heard alot about a book, I tend to expect too much from it and get disappointed. Not in this case. I really loved this book. Garth Stein has a winner here.
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LibraryThing member ablueidol
Well some good bits first. It did help me understand more about car racing. And yes I liked the title as the theme for the story – we can get through the bad times etc. But the characters are flat and boarding on cliché – the kooky, brave loyal wife, the cute kid, the in-laws from hell , the
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silent strong hero struggling to do the best for his loved ones. In short, classic TV movie fodder. The use as a dog as the central narrator does allow for some interesting takes on the events but it gradually beggars belief – he can bark twice as requested to urge speed but can’t work any other code out in his time with the family? Then its downhill for me as the plot unfolds. The wife suffers months/years of a mega serious illness but loving husband and in-laws from hell don't get her to the hospital ( so why no coven of friends fighting her corner?) But once in and the consequences known, wife and child go to live with in-laws from hell and so create the added complications of the plot. And he’s working in some vague back office job yet manages to raise the serious levels of sponsorship needed for professional racing almost in passing. I suspect that as a spoken book and a film with the right cast it might work as character depth could be injected but for me it’s the first abandoned book of the year. Show Less
LibraryThing member Cecilturtle
It's rare that a book leaves me indifferent. I can see how it could have a wide appeal: it's a tear-jerker, it has dogs and it has cars. Unfortunately, cars and dogs are amongst the things that I'm completely indifferent to, and the story needs to be character-driven, not plot driven as this book
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is, to make me feel empathy. I found that having both the dog as a narrator and the race-car driving as a metaphor way too gimmicky to have this book be taken seriously. Which is too bad, because it is immensely readable: the style is colourful, the characters are perhaps too stereotypical, but they have possibilities, and the story is somewhat inspiring. I just found that the whole package was really cotton-candy boring and the ending atrociouly corny. Show Less
LibraryThing member SugarCreekRanch
Wonderful book. Told from the perspective of a devoted dog, it's the story of a would-be auto racer facing a custody battle after the death of his wife (her parents want to raise their grandchild). Enzo, the dog, uses auto racing metaphors throughout to talk about life. He's a very wise
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philosopher, and aspires to be reincarnated as a human, but he's currently subject to doggy impulses. Warning: it's a tearjerker if you've ever lost a wonderful old dog. Show Less
LibraryThing member shanjan
Enzo is a dog who wishes to be reincarnated as a human. On the last day of his life he reflects on his life from puppyhood until the present moment. The narrator of The Art of Racing In The Rain, Enzo tells his life story with compassion, unfailing loyalty and a philosophical bent.
The language is
Aside from Enzo, the other characters in the novel are interesting, if a bit one-dimensional. Good characters are unfailingly good (Enzo, Denny, Eve, and Zoe) and bad characters are unfailingly bad (the twins). The only exception is a minor, but pivotal character named Annika.
Denny, Enzo's master, is a talented and aspiring race car driver and Stein uses this vehicle (badump bump) to illustrate his philosophical points. The main philosophical thread that Stein weaves throughout the story is to live in the moment. Be present. Open you eyes (and ears and nose) to the wonders that surround us by being fully awake. This concept rings true as something a dog would be capable of. The others....such manifest your own destiny work for the art of race car driving.
The storyline is compelling and believable if entirely predictable. Even the end is entirely expected, but that didn't stop it from being a tear jerker. Perhaps because in spite of being one dimensional Stein still makes his characters relatable and likable.
The Art of Racing in the Rain is a fun book to read and would be enjoyed by people who have dogs and even those who do not (I fall into the latter and I still enjoyed it). The philosophical element keeps it interested without taking it out of the beach read/airplane trip category. Three barks and a tail wag for The Art of Racing in The Rain.
The language is
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sometimes poetic and mostly believable coming from a canine storyteller. Occasionally, the narration veers off topic to movie reviews, or tv show, but perhaps these flights of fancy are to be expected of a dog.Aside from Enzo, the other characters in the novel are interesting, if a bit one-dimensional. Good characters are unfailingly good (Enzo, Denny, Eve, and Zoe) and bad characters are unfailingly bad (the twins). The only exception is a minor, but pivotal character named Annika.
Denny, Enzo's master, is a talented and aspiring race car driver and Stein uses this vehicle (badump bump) to illustrate his philosophical points. The main philosophical thread that Stein weaves throughout the story is to live in the moment. Be present. Open you eyes (and ears and nose) to the wonders that surround us by being fully awake. This concept rings true as something a dog would be capable of. The others....such manifest your own destiny work for the art of race car driving.
The storyline is compelling and believable if entirely predictable. Even the end is entirely expected, but that didn't stop it from being a tear jerker. Perhaps because in spite of being one dimensional Stein still makes his characters relatable and likable.
The Art of Racing in the Rain is a fun book to read and would be enjoyed by people who have dogs and even those who do not (I fall into the latter and I still enjoyed it). The philosophical element keeps it interested without taking it out of the beach read/airplane trip category. Three barks and a tail wag for The Art of Racing in The Rain.
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LibraryThing member lrobe190
Enzo know he is different: he thinks and feels in nearly human ways. He has educated himself by watching extensive television, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up- and-coming race car driver. Enzo relates the story of his human family sharing tragedies and
(summary from ISBN 0007281196)
Interesting book; I could take it or leave it.
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triumphs of Denny and his wife and child.(summary from ISBN 0007281196)
Interesting book; I could take it or leave it.
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LibraryThing member manadabomb
The dog on the cover of the book implores you to buy it. I gave in to the dog's soulful eyes and purchased a book I've never heard of. I'm a sucker.
Enzo, the dog, relays the entire book to us. It never ever veers from Enzo's point of view and that's really for the best. The world seen through the
Denny picks Enzo out of a litter on a farm and they become best buds. Enzo is a little jealous when Eve comes into the picture and acknowledges that he wasn't very warm with her. Once little Zoe arrives, they are one happy family. Enzo's uncanny sense of smell detects something wrong with Eve before she even starts showing symptoms. But, being a dog, he can't speak and tell her to go to a doctor. She finally does, but it's too late.
Denny's in-laws are horrid people and managed to really envoke some anger in me. The hell that Enzo and Denny are put through is unthinkable but somehow, if you keep your eye on the finish line, things manage to come through.
Denny is a race car driving so expect quite a bit of racing stories and metaphors. Enzo himself is quite the racing fanatic so he's happy to tell you all he knows.
Enzo, the dog, relays the entire book to us. It never ever veers from Enzo's point of view and that's really for the best. The world seen through the
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eyes of a dog is an amazing one. Enzo wishes to be reincarnated as a man, but after reading this, I wouldn't mind being a dog.Denny picks Enzo out of a litter on a farm and they become best buds. Enzo is a little jealous when Eve comes into the picture and acknowledges that he wasn't very warm with her. Once little Zoe arrives, they are one happy family. Enzo's uncanny sense of smell detects something wrong with Eve before she even starts showing symptoms. But, being a dog, he can't speak and tell her to go to a doctor. She finally does, but it's too late.
Denny's in-laws are horrid people and managed to really envoke some anger in me. The hell that Enzo and Denny are put through is unthinkable but somehow, if you keep your eye on the finish line, things manage to come through.
Denny is a race car driving so expect quite a bit of racing stories and metaphors. Enzo himself is quite the racing fanatic so he's happy to tell you all he knows.
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LibraryThing member Rdra1962
Cute premise, a dog narrating a story, but the author broadcast plot twists waaaaay in advance, and most of them were so predictable. Nonetheless, I cried at the end, and I have been way nicer to my pets ever since!
LibraryThing member novelnympho
I was surprised when I picked this book to read and my husband said "I know that name, the author went to my high school" How cool is that?
The book is FABULOUS! I don't think I'll ever look at my furry family members the same ever again. With heartfelt prose and a journey that will leave you
The book is FABULOUS! I don't think I'll ever look at my furry family members the same ever again. With heartfelt prose and a journey that will leave you
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crying happy and sad tears this is a book told by Enzo the dog who laments his lack of thumb and loose tounge, an ambitious master Denny, and the story of their lives told with spectacular detail. I can't give away the ending but I will say that there are many "jewels" of wisdom that will have you thinking back upon the book long after you put it down. And while I personally and philisophically have different views that some expressed in the book I am appreciative of the depth and soul and honesty felt in a story told by a dog. Kudos to Garth Stein for an amazing literary journey sure to become a favorite of many. Show Less
LibraryThing member ken1952
What a disappointment this was. I love dogs. And there are bits and pieces of Enzo that don't disappointment. His dogness was the best thing in the book. But when he started to throw his life philosophy at me I didn't want to play fetch. The Twins were so stereotypical. And the fact that Denny
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wasn't even invited to his wife's funeral was totally unbelievable. Unbelievable? We're talking about a dog/human narrator so I guess we can't expect much to be believable. Even the race to the ending was contrived. Shoot! Show Less
LibraryThing member kmaziarz
Enzo, a lab-terrier mix, firmly believes that he is almost human and that in his next life, he will be lucky enough to be reborn as a man with opposable thumbs and the ability to speak. In the meantime, he carefully observes human behavior, attempting to make sense of it all, and attempting to
When Denny brings home Eve, the woman who will become his wife, Enzo is jealous at first, knowing she will supplant him in Denny’s affections. But when Eve gives birth to their daughter Zoe while Denny is away at a race, Enzo realizes that his true role in life is not as Denny’s companion, but as the family’s faithful protector. This is a role he fulfills admirably, despite his inability to speak, serving as both support and guardian throughout Eve’s long battle with cancer and the bitter custody battle over Zoe that Denny must fight with Eve’s parents after Eve’s death.
Filtered through the perceptions of a dog who, despite his obvious intelligence, is necessarily an outsider, the world is both a much simpler and much more complex place. Moving, if a bit simplistic at some points and melodramatic at others, “The Art of Racing in the Rain” will almost certainly make you see the world in a different way…and wonder just how much your dog really understands!
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practice as much as possible for his human life to come. Enzo’s owner, Denny Swift, is a race car driver, and it is through the metaphors of racing that Enzo constructs his own philosophy on life and love. Enzo watches racing on television and soaks up as much of Denny’s technique and racing wisdom as he can. Everything in his life is filtered through this lens, and he knows the simple truths that “your car goes where you eye goes” and “what you manifest is before you.”When Denny brings home Eve, the woman who will become his wife, Enzo is jealous at first, knowing she will supplant him in Denny’s affections. But when Eve gives birth to their daughter Zoe while Denny is away at a race, Enzo realizes that his true role in life is not as Denny’s companion, but as the family’s faithful protector. This is a role he fulfills admirably, despite his inability to speak, serving as both support and guardian throughout Eve’s long battle with cancer and the bitter custody battle over Zoe that Denny must fight with Eve’s parents after Eve’s death.
Filtered through the perceptions of a dog who, despite his obvious intelligence, is necessarily an outsider, the world is both a much simpler and much more complex place. Moving, if a bit simplistic at some points and melodramatic at others, “The Art of Racing in the Rain” will almost certainly make you see the world in a different way…and wonder just how much your dog really understands!
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LibraryThing member slrod22
I could not put this book down!! I was hooked from the first page. I love how Enzo is so bitter about not having thumbs or a tonuge thats actually worth having! I laughed. I cried. I shared the joy and the heartache all the characters went through. I will never look at my dogs the same. This book
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is a 5 star! Show Less
LibraryThing member plenilune
When was the last time a book brought tears to your eyes? I wouldn't have known how to answer that question (as I'm not sure one has since childhood) until I read The Art of Racing in the Rain. It is told from the perspective of Enzo, beloved dog of his master Denny and the admittedly biased
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narrator of his story. Enzo is a force of nature, both wise and naive, sometimes stoic, at other times unabashedly canine, who communicates largely by gestures (which, as he frequently reminds us, are all he has). He loves television, the source of his wisdom, and has a shared passion for racing with his master, a driver by profession. The narration and voice of Enzo is consistent throughout the book, and while he strives to be human, he is always a dog, for better and for worse. As a dog, he is loyal to a fault to his master. At times this leads to some rather maudlin family moments which I feel only weigh down the action and prey on the reader's sympathy. At other times, it leads to huge and troubling issues (I'm thinking of the situation with Annika) being glossed over with a wide clumsy brush. In the end, however, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and Enzo has been added to my pantheon of beloved fictional characters that I genuinely missed when the book was done. It is perfect light/summer reading. Show Less
LibraryThing member fig2
Denny has dreams of becoming the world's best race car driver, but life seems to get in the way. When Denny's life careens out of control, his adorable mutt Enzo tries to be supportive. Enzo is quite ready to be human, so he deeply feels, and is frustrated by, his loss of thumbs and speech. This is
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a sweet, poignant, and unique book. Show Less
LibraryThing member hemlokgang
This is rated and reviewed by my husband. He reads mostly non-fiction, but tried this while on vacation recently. Midway through it he reported that is was just okay. When he finished and tried to talk about the ending, he wept too much too speak. Enough said!
LibraryThing member realbigcat
This book looked interesting as it was promoted in the book club with the unusual premise of being written from the dogs point of view. Yes it is from the dog's point of view it is more than that. An interesting story of a family living thru an unusual circumstances. If you are a dog lover then I
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would highly recommend this book. If not I think you will still find the story interesting. I look at my Golden Retriever "Toby" a little different now. There's always possibilities! Show Less
LibraryThing member punxsygal
Enzo, a mutt plucked from bunch of puppies and into Danny's life, is looking back on his life on his last day. His remembrances are filled with love of family, loyalty of friend, and the racing tapes of racecar driver Danny. His philosophy has been formed from his experiences and the television he
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has watched. He looks at life with wisdom. A loving, touching story of a life well lived. Show Less
LibraryThing member goodinthestacks
"The Art of Racing in the Rain" is a fantastic book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and highly recommend it.
The narrator is Enzo. He is a dog. But don't think of him as a dog because he knows that his soul is deep and that he will be a man in his next life. His best friend is Denny, his owner and
I was very hesitant to read a book with the dog as the narrator, but it was well done. Don't miss out.
The narrator is Enzo. He is a dog. But don't think of him as a dog because he knows that his soul is deep and that he will be a man in his next life. His best friend is Denny, his owner and
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a race car driver. Through Enzo's eyes, the reader will witness the highs and lows of Denny's life as he experiences love, loss, betrayal, victories and defeats. And you might learn a few life lessons along the way. I was very hesitant to read a book with the dog as the narrator, but it was well done. Don't miss out.
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LibraryThing member Edithmae
A terrific book. I read part of it to my own dog, I do believe that she liked it too. But I read only the happy parts to her. Great book!
LibraryThing member -Cee-
A sweet story of a dog who aspires to be human (and believes he will be in his next life)and his master, Denny, a race car driver. This tale is packed with survival techniques from a dog's perspective that prove effective when running the race of life against nearly unbearable obstacles. Enzo (the
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dog) tells us what it takes to be a champion. Dog lovers will appreciate this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member jbrubacher
This is a decade in the life of racing driver Denny Swift and his family, as seen through the eyes of his dog, Enzo. Enzo is very special. He believes that the car goes where the eyes go, that loneliness is a virus that requires a willing host, and that he will be reincarnated as a human being
Enzo's narration takes what might be a story with a little too much angst and creates an illuminating tale (pun intended) about what is required to be a good human being. His voice is clear is sweet and the suggestions he puts forth about living your life with intention are familiar Buddhist ideas stated without any association to religion or complicated human philosophy. His simplicity makes him the perfect vessel for these thoughts. There isn't much supernatural in this book, despite it being about a self-aware dog, but what's there is nicely balanced with how absolutely real and believable Enzo's personality happens to be.
I can't promise that everyone will like this book, and in fact I suspect it will be too sentimental for some, particularly if they dislike dogs or philosophy. Even I don't like very many of the characters, aside from Enzo. But this is one of my favourite books anyway and the beauty and relevance of the descriptions of racing add just as much as Enzo's voice to a very enjoyable and inspiring read.
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because he is more than ready.Enzo's narration takes what might be a story with a little too much angst and creates an illuminating tale (pun intended) about what is required to be a good human being. His voice is clear is sweet and the suggestions he puts forth about living your life with intention are familiar Buddhist ideas stated without any association to religion or complicated human philosophy. His simplicity makes him the perfect vessel for these thoughts. There isn't much supernatural in this book, despite it being about a self-aware dog, but what's there is nicely balanced with how absolutely real and believable Enzo's personality happens to be.
I can't promise that everyone will like this book, and in fact I suspect it will be too sentimental for some, particularly if they dislike dogs or philosophy. Even I don't like very many of the characters, aside from Enzo. But this is one of my favourite books anyway and the beauty and relevance of the descriptions of racing add just as much as Enzo's voice to a very enjoyable and inspiring read.
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LibraryThing member samfsmith
I dislike books that are overly manipulative and heavy on pop psychology, and that’s what this book is. The author follows the trials of a family through the eyes of their dog. He throws in a mother with brain cancer, a child taken away by evil, rich grandparents who engage in a devastating legal
But it is a page-turner and easy to read. Once begun, it is hard to stop. I found myself caught up in the trials of the family even as I condemned the author for manipulating me.
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battle with their poor son-in-law, and a father who puts his family ahead of his career as a race car driver. The dog narrator is treated like a dog, hit by a car, suffers from arthritis, and so on. Everything is tied together by the pop psychology of race car driving, reminiscent of “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”. In addition, the dog narrator is hardly a dog. He understands more about life than all the people around him. He speaks in complete sentences, and has an encyclopedic knowledge of old movies and auto racing. Entirely unbelievable.But it is a page-turner and easy to read. Once begun, it is hard to stop. I found myself caught up in the trials of the family even as I condemned the author for manipulating me.
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LibraryThing member roxyrolla
I really enjoyed this book, and it's one I never would have chosen on my own. Before reading, I would've said I had no interest in hearing a dog's point of view, but Enzo was a wonderful narrator! Thanks to my book club for choosing this and opening me up to something out of the norm for me.
Awards
Dublin Literary Award (Longlist — 2010)
Audie Award (Finalist — 2009)
Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award (Winner — 2009)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Recommended — 2012)
Reading Olympics (High School — 2024)
Language
Local notes
Autographed by author