I've had The Art Of Racing In The Rain, by Garth Stein, on my to-read list for a while. I really wanted to read it on the way to Denver, but since we were leaving Shelby behind, and the book is about a dog, I knew it was probably just going to make me sad and miss her. But I started it last night and then finished it, because it was that good.
I have to admit, I had to stop reading and go cuddle with Shelby for a little while. Enzo, the main character, is a dog telling the story of his life on the eve of his death. (Don't worry, you find that out really early on, so I didn't spoil anything.) The life he has led, with his people, Denny, Eve, and Zoe, seems like just any other normal life at first, but it then, everything changes. I'll let you figure it out on your own, but it's definitely engrossing.
He is adopted by Denny, after being born on a farm. I love reading from the perspective of the dog throughout the book, but the first chapters, where Enzo is describing his parents, dogs in general, and his education have some of the best voice. For example, this description of his father:
"I never knew my father. the people on the farm told Denny that he was a shepherd-poodle mix, but I don't believe it. I never saw a dog that looked like that on the farm, and while the lady was nice, the alpha male was a mean bastar who would look you in the eyes and lie even if telling the truth would serve him better. He expounded at length on the relative intelligence of dog breeds, and he firmly believed that shepherds and poodles were the smart ones, and therefore would be more desirable--and more valuable--when 'bred back to a lab for temperament.' All a bunch of junk."
As a dog, Enzo is unique. He was educated by watching TV. He loves old movies, the weather channel, science programs, and especially racing, as Denny is a racecar driver. The most important thing he learned on TV though, is that when he dies, he will come back a man, and then he plans on finding Denny and finally communicating with him the way he always has, only Denny will be able to hear him.
As a character, Enzo is even more unique. He makes keen observations about life, many that come from learning about racing from Denny and his female master's Eve battle with her health. There are several passages I marked as "favorites," but this is the one I'll share with you:
"Such a simple concept, yet so true: that which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves."
This is where the title comes from--above is the art of racing in the rain. Rather than fearing the rain and driving like normal, you spin the car before it spins itself: that which we manifest is before us. And the book is full of similar observations, which is maybe why I liked it so much.
I'm sure I also liked it so much because we do have a dog, who we are crazy about. After reading the book, I like to think that Shelby is like Enzo--smart, incredibly loyal to us, and a keen observer of life. And it makes me appreciate the ti
Similar Book RecommendationsMarley and Me, John Grogan
The Dogs Of Babel, Carolyn Parkhurst
I have to admit, I had to stop reading and go cuddle with Shelby for a little while. Enzo, the main character, is a dog telling the story of his life on the eve of his death. (Don't worry, you find that out really early on, so I didn't spoil anything.) The life he has led, with his people, Denny, Eve, and Zoe, seems like just any other normal life at first, but it then, everything changes. I'll let you figure it out on your own, but it's definitely engrossing.
He is adopted by Denny, after being born on a farm. I love reading from the perspective of the dog throughout the book, but the first chapters, where Enzo is describing his parents, dogs in general, and his education have some of the best voice. For example, this description of his father:
"I never knew my father. the people on the farm told Denny that he was a shepherd-poodle mix, but I don't believe it. I never saw a dog that looked like that on the farm, and while the lady was nice, the alpha male was a mean bastar who would look you in the eyes and lie even if telling the truth would serve him better. He expounded at length on the relative intelligence of dog breeds, and he firmly believed that shepherds and poodles were the smart ones, and therefore would be more desirable--and more valuable--when 'bred back to a lab for temperament.' All a bunch of junk."
As a dog, Enzo is unique. He was educated by watching TV. He loves old movies, the weather channel, science programs, and especially racing, as Denny is a racecar driver. The most important thing he learned on TV though, is that when he dies, he will come back a man, and then he plans on finding Denny and finally communicating with him the way he always has, only Denny will be able to hear him.
As a character, Enzo is even more unique. He makes keen observations about life, many that come from learning about racing from Denny and his female master's Eve battle with her health. There are several passages I marked as "favorites," but this is the one I'll share with you:
"Such a simple concept, yet so true: that which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny. Be it through intention or ignorance, our successes and our failures have been brought on by none other than ourselves."
This is where the title comes from--above is the art of racing in the rain. Rather than fearing the rain and driving like normal, you spin the car before it spins itself: that which we manifest is before us. And the book is full of similar observations, which is maybe why I liked it so much.
I'm sure I also liked it so much because we do have a dog, who we are crazy about. After reading the book, I like to think that Shelby is like Enzo--smart, incredibly loyal to us, and a keen observer of life. And it makes me appreciate the ti
Similar Book RecommendationsMarley and Me, John Grogan
The Dogs Of Babel, Carolyn Parkhurst
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