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.
The Art of Racing in the Rain
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers 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 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. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
“Fans of Marley & Me, rejoice.” (Entertainment Weekly)
“The perfect book for anyone who knows that some of our best friends walk beside us on four legs; that compassion isn’t only for humans; and that the relationship between two souls...meant for each other never really comes to an end.” (Jodi Picoult)
“The Art of Racing in The Rain has everything: love, tragedy, redemption, danger, and--most especially--the canine narrator Enzo. This old soul of a dog has much to teach us about being human.” (Sara Gruen, Author of Water for Elephants)
“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.” (Wally Lamb, Author of She's Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True)
“One of those stories that may earn its place next to Richard Bach’s ‘Jonathan Livingston Seagull,’ Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist,’ and Yann Martel’s ‘Life of Pi.’” (Portland Oregonian)
“The perfect book for anyone who knows that some of our best friends walk beside us on four legs; that compassion isn’t only for humans; and that the relationship between two souls...meant for each other never really comes to an end.” (Jodi Picoult)
“The Art of Racing in The Rain has everything: love, tragedy, redemption, danger, and--most especially--the canine narrator Enzo. This old soul of a dog has much to teach us about being human.” (Sara Gruen, Author of Water for Elephants)
“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.” (Wally Lamb, Author of She's Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True)
“One of those stories that may earn its place next to Richard Bach’s ‘Jonathan Livingston Seagull,’ Paulo Coelho’s ‘The Alchemist,’ and Yann Martel’s ‘Life of Pi.’” (Portland Oregonian)
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More About the Author
Garth Stein is the author of three novels, The Art of Racing in the Rain, How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets, and Raven Stole the Moon, and a play, Brother Jones. He has also worked as a documentary filmmaker and lives in Seattle with his family.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1,174 of 1,217 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Characters you care about, a story that grabs you -- maybe more dogs should write novels
May 13, 2008
Format:Hardcover
I have finally found a new novel I can stand to read.
To my great astonishment, it's told by a dog. (I'm not a pet-lover).
It contains many insights about car racing. (I have no interest in car racing, and I look askance at sports analogies.)
And the author has described it as "Jonathan Livingston Seagull' for dogs." (That book is tied with 'The Giving Tree' as my Least Favorite Ever.)
So what do I find to praise?
The concept: "When a dog is finished living his lifetimes as a dog, his next incarnation will be as a man." Not all dogs. Only those who are ready. Enzo, a shepherd-poodle-terrier mix, is ready.
Enzo has spent years watching daytime TV, mostly documentaries and the Weather Channel (It's "not about weather, it is about the world"). And because Denny Swift, his owner, is a mechanic who's training to race cars, he and Enzo watch countless hours of race footage. So Enzo knows about the world beyond the Swift home near Seattle.
The situation is equally appealing: Enzo is old, facing death. While he has learned from racing movies to forget the past and live in the moment, this is his time to remember. And he can remember objectively --- as a dog, his senses are sharper, his emotions less complicated. With the clarity of a Buddha, Enzo can see. And he can listen: "I never interrupt, I never deflect the conversation with a comment of my own." So he's quite the knowing narrator.
And then the story: a happy family, brimming with good feeling and ambitious dreams. Denny loves Enzo like a son. Denny loves his wife Eve, who works for a big retail company that "provided us with money and health insurance." And Denny lives for Zoe, their daughter.... Read more ›
To my great astonishment, it's told by a dog. (I'm not a pet-lover).
It contains many insights about car racing. (I have no interest in car racing, and I look askance at sports analogies.)
And the author has described it as "Jonathan Livingston Seagull' for dogs." (That book is tied with 'The Giving Tree' as my Least Favorite Ever.)
So what do I find to praise?
The concept: "When a dog is finished living his lifetimes as a dog, his next incarnation will be as a man." Not all dogs. Only those who are ready. Enzo, a shepherd-poodle-terrier mix, is ready.
Enzo has spent years watching daytime TV, mostly documentaries and the Weather Channel (It's "not about weather, it is about the world"). And because Denny Swift, his owner, is a mechanic who's training to race cars, he and Enzo watch countless hours of race footage. So Enzo knows about the world beyond the Swift home near Seattle.
The situation is equally appealing: Enzo is old, facing death. While he has learned from racing movies to forget the past and live in the moment, this is his time to remember. And he can remember objectively --- as a dog, his senses are sharper, his emotions less complicated. With the clarity of a Buddha, Enzo can see. And he can listen: "I never interrupt, I never deflect the conversation with a comment of my own." So he's quite the knowing narrator.
And then the story: a happy family, brimming with good feeling and ambitious dreams. Denny loves Enzo like a son. Denny loves his wife Eve, who works for a big retail company that "provided us with money and health insurance." And Denny lives for Zoe, their daughter.... Read more ›
335 of 350 people found the following review helpful
A Kid's Review
Format:Hardcover
Since I am a young teenager, you might think it doesn't mean much for me to say that this is the best book ever. But I've read a pretty good amount of books for someone my age. When I read this book, I felt a connection with it that I haven't felt with any other book. It made me feel the pain, the happiness, the sadness, and the humor in the characters lives. I cried at two points in the book because of the way the author was able describe it. It wasn't that it was sad, it was just that it was told in such a beautiful and truthful way. Obviously, you might say that a dog could not think like a human, so how could it be truthful. But this book is not about what real dogs think. It's about spiritual and emotional truths. Doesn't anyone remember Charlotte's Web? Enzo says, "My intent, here, is to tell our story in a dramatically truthful way. While the facts may be less than accurate, please understand that the emotion is true. The intent is true. And, dramatically speaking, intention is everything."
Because I'm 12, I did have to discuss the book with my parents. I needed to ask questions about the custody battle and Eve's sickness. I recommend this book to anyone who is open to the ideas of creating your own life and not being a victim. Anyone who thinks this book has anything to do with bad luck (I've seen some of the reviews) is really missing the message. There is nothing random. As Enzo says, we are all extensions of everything. Where you focus your energy is what happens in your life. What happens in the end is what has to happen. It is the only true ending that fits the whole buildup of where Denny and Enzo placed their energy.
Because I'm 12, I did have to discuss the book with my parents. I needed to ask questions about the custody battle and Eve's sickness. I recommend this book to anyone who is open to the ideas of creating your own life and not being a victim. Anyone who thinks this book has anything to do with bad luck (I've seen some of the reviews) is really missing the message. There is nothing random. As Enzo says, we are all extensions of everything. Where you focus your energy is what happens in your life. What happens in the end is what has to happen. It is the only true ending that fits the whole buildup of where Denny and Enzo placed their energy.
351 of 368 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I might secretly be a dog person, or maybe subconsciously ... but if you were to ask me I would tell you I'm not a dog person. Oh, but how I loved Enzo.
On the eve of his death, Enzo (a dog) tells what amounts to his master's life story. Stein's attention to detail was amazing - the book read like it was written by somebody who took the time to stop and think "what would a dog feel/do in this situation?" As a result, Enzo is memorable and lovable. He's at once a crotchety old man, and an innocent youth. He's wise, he's naive, and he is devoted.
I'm not going to lie to you, this book is very sad. But it is also laugh out loud funny at times, and filled with love, devotion, philosophy and hopefulness.
It's a beautiful book and definitely one of my favorites of the year.
On the eve of his death, Enzo (a dog) tells what amounts to his master's life story. Stein's attention to detail was amazing - the book read like it was written by somebody who took the time to stop and think "what would a dog feel/do in this situation?" As a result, Enzo is memorable and lovable. He's at once a crotchety old man, and an innocent youth. He's wise, he's naive, and he is devoted.
I'm not going to lie to you, this book is very sad. But it is also laugh out loud funny at times, and filled with love, devotion, philosophy and hopefulness.
It's a beautiful book and definitely one of my favorites of the year.
370 of 404 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I enjoyed THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, a book that reminds me of the work of Mitch Albom or Nicholas Sparks. This is essentially the story of one man's life struggle, as seen from the perspective of the family dog. The dog, named Enzo, is as intelligent as a human being, and pretty much thinks like one. Most of the humor of the book comes from Enzo's unhappiness with his dog status, and his intense desire to be a human in the next life.
The actual plot of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, however, revolves around Enzo's master Denny, who suffers a series of family tragedies. I personally found Denny's story a bit on the melodramatic side (nothing about this book is particularly subtle), but Enzo's presence makes this novel more original and fresh than it otherwise would be. The ending of this book struck me as a bit too Hollywood, but parts of this book are emotionally touching.
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is easy to read, and you can finish it in one sitting. There's quite a bit of crude humor in this novel, but I think most people will enjoy it. If you think Mitch Albom and Nicholas Sparks are pure schmaltz, you will no doubt think the same thing about this novel. But if you like short, sentimental stories, I think this book is definitely worth your time.
The actual plot of THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN, however, revolves around Enzo's master Denny, who suffers a series of family tragedies. I personally found Denny's story a bit on the melodramatic side (nothing about this book is particularly subtle), but Enzo's presence makes this novel more original and fresh than it otherwise would be. The ending of this book struck me as a bit too Hollywood, but parts of this book are emotionally touching.
THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN is easy to read, and you can finish it in one sitting. There's quite a bit of crude humor in this novel, but I think most people will enjoy it. If you think Mitch Albom and Nicholas Sparks are pure schmaltz, you will no doubt think the same thing about this novel. But if you like short, sentimental stories, I think this book is definitely worth your time.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Read
Tears, smile, laughter. This book makes you hold your pup tight and find the good in all. You continue to think about it even after you've finished.
Published 12 hours ago by Kary
4.0 out of 5 stars
What are those eyes trying to tell me?
I first want to say I really liked the story. It was interesting imagining what a dog really thinks. After all haven't we all wondered? Read more
Published 1 day ago by J.Bess
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Read
This is written from a dogs perspective and I loved it even though parts of it were very sad. I would recommend this to everyone.
Published 2 days ago by Shirley L. Archer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read
The author perfectly captured the essence of how a dog would look and feel about human beings if the dog could think or speak.
Published 2 days ago by Bob I.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible
I was going through cancer treatment and my friends said I shouldn't read it....but this book was amazing. Hard to put down.
Published 2 days ago by 10pets
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this book!!!
This is the second time I've read this book and I still love it. There are so many truths in it.
Published 2 days ago by Dawn
5.0 out of 5 stars
The art of racing in the rain
Fantastic book. I loved hearing the dogs perspective of life and is crucial role throughout the story. I highly recommend this book.
Published 2 days ago by Rae Schopp
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book
Loved this book, sad and heartwarming in various places, great
ending. I highly recommend this book to all, animal or race car enthusiasts alike.
ending. I highly recommend this book to all, animal or race car enthusiasts alike.
Published 4 days ago by rjb
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great and Emotional story about relationships
I was prepared not to like this book club selection, but was drawn in almost immediately. I fell in love with the story teller..... Read more
Published 4 days ago by Rita
5.0 out of 5 stars
The book was entertaining
Sad but heartfelt. Really enjoyed the storyline from the Dog's eyes. If you enjoy a book you cannot put down this is your book.
Published 4 days ago by Rene Roberts
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