A Good Book

Dogs, racing and cars!  What’s not to like?  Woof and Zoomvroom!  The Art of Racing in The Rain by Garth Stein, is an exciting, fast-paced novel meant for both young adults and adults.  There are a lot of cuss words, and a scene between one of the main characters and a much younger woman.   

On the night of his death, Enzo, a dog, recalls his entire life from puppy-hood up.  He remembers meeting his owner, Denny, Denny’s meeting his wife, Eve, and the unexpected loss of Eve, and the hard times following it.  He also remembers Denny’s daughter, Zoe, and the lawsuits following Zoe’s custody battle.  He has fond memories of the weekend rides in Denny’s BMW, and the race-cars that Denny drove.  Enzo frequently hung out in the pits or bleachers at the track.  Enzo has always wanted to be a race-car driver, so he could race against Denny.  But, being a dog, he couldn’t.  Enzo has always felt that he was almost human, and had an obsession with opposable thumbs and knows that when he is reincarnated, he will be a human. 

Enzo said “when somebody is in pain, only their pet can understand how much it hurts along with them.”  There is a lot of pathos (arousing passion and sadness) in the story.  When Denny is arrested because of criminal charges, he is bailed out and helped by friends.  Enzo said “Always remember that your friends will be there to help you.”  Enzo and Denny were inseparable and stayed with each other through thick and thin. 

I really enjoyed reading The Art of Racing in The Rain.  The book describes how to drive a fast car in the rain, and constantly mentions many exotic cars.  I like the story because it has themes on friendships and cars.