Book Club Friday: The Art of Racing in the Rain

The Art of Racing in the Rain

By: Garth Stein

Pages: 244 (on Nook)

Finished: December 30, 2012

"Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.
Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn’t simply about going fast. Using the techniques needed on the race track, one can successfully navigate all of life’s ordeals.On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through: the sacrifices Denny has made to succeed professionally; the unexpected loss of Eve, Denny’s wife; the three-year battle over their daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pull every string to gain custody. In the end, despite what he sees as his own limitations, Enzo comes through heroically to preserve the Swift family, holding in his heart the dream that Denny will become a racing champion with Zoë at his side. Having learned what it takes to be a compassionate and successful person, the wise canine can barely wait until his next lifetime, when he is sure he will return as a man.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life...as only a dog could tell it."

{goodreads}

I can not even begin to express how much I LOVED this book!  I really enjoy books told from the perspective of someone other than an adult human.  (Probably why I loved the book "Room" which I will talk about another time).  I also loved that the characters in the book and the events are very realistic and believable and to be told about these events from the viewpoint of a dog was actually very enjoyable.  Enzo is such a loveable character and very insightful: even if I hated the story, Enzos character would have made up for it!  It also made me laugh because there is a part in the story where Enzo explains that he watches TV and I thought about how my Mom's dog totally sits there and watches football with us!

I highly recommend this book to any dog lover.  While this book is emotional and heartbreaking at times it is also funny and insightful.  (Josh was actually laughing at me because I would be reading this and crying one minute and laughing my butt off the next).

I gave this book a 5/5 on my Goodreads!!

Hopefully by next week I will be done with "The Book Thief"  but school starts back up on Monday, so who knows.