"The Art Of Racing In The Rain" by Garth Stein

The Art Of Racing In The Rain by Garth Stein is awesome.  It started out slow and I thought about giving up on it but I’m so glad I stuck with it and finished it.  It is narrated by a dog named Enzo who is devoted to his owner, Denny, a race car driver.  The dog and Denny sit and watch videos of car races together, while Denny points out racing tips to the dog that he applies to life.

Denny had lots of personal problems including a sick wife who died of Brain Cancer and the constant battle with his in-laws over his daughter, and a bogus criminal lawsuit against him.

The dog shares it’s thoughts with the reader but can only communicate to his owners with gestures which is frustrating for it and so he looks forward to being reincarnated as a man.  It’s an inspirational book, encouraging the reader to “finish the race” and never, ever quit but hang in and overcome obstacles.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from The Art Of Racing In The Rain:
 

Your car goes where your eyes go.
 
Yes:  the race is long—to finish first, first you must finish.
 
The true hero is flawed.  The true test of a champion is not whether he can triumph, but whether he can overcome obstacles—preferably of his own making—in order to triumph.
 
No race has ever been won in the fist corner, but plenty of races have been lost there.
 
Getting angry at another driver for a driving incident is pointless.  You need to watch the drivers around you, understand their skill, confidence and aggression levels, and drive with them accordingly.  Know who is driving next to you.  Any problems that may occur have  ultimately been caused by you, because you are responsible for where you are and what you are doing there.

(Karen's Review 2/3/10)
Must check out www.goenzo.com

The Art Of Racing In The Rain is told to you by Enzo, the dog.  You will grow to love Enzo very much as he tells the story of Denny, his owner and a race car driver, his wife, Eve, and their daughter, Zoe.  This is a wonderful book.  It goes very fast.  I found it almost impossible to put down.  The ending is very good and very sad.  You will understand when you read it.  This book deserves to be read!  Enjoy!
Gerard's Review posted 1/25/10

Please tell us: What categories of literature do you like? What are you reading now? Who are your top five favorite authors? Have you read this one? What did you think of it?