The Art of Racing in the Rain

• Author: Garth Stein (website/instagram/twitter)
• Publisher & Date: Harper Collins, 2008
• Pages: 352
• Intended Audience: Adults/Young Adults who love animals!
• Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Philosophy, Family, Pets
• Goodreads Rating: 4.15/5.0 
• Sneak Peak by Jess:   

    "I'm old. And while I'm very capable of getting older, that's not the way that I want to go out. Shot full of pain medication and steroids to reduce the swelling of my joints. Vision fogged with cataracts... That's humiliating and degrading." At the very beginning of the novel, we meet Enzo, an aging, old soul, who is nearing the end of his life, and we meet Denny, his beloved and dearest friend. Enzo's health has been on a steady downhill slope for some time, but before his time comes, he reflects on his long and happy life by telling his story through his own eyes, as a dog. 

"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.com

    If you are an animal of lover of any kind, then this book is an absolute must-read! Garth Stein is, in some way, a genius. He has cleverly written a novel of the everyday life of a family, the Swifts, but through the point of view of their family pet, Enzo. If you are anything like me, you have probably wondered to yourself what your own pet is thinking, what they dream about, and what they would say to you if they could speak. After reading this book, all of my questions were finally resolved! Enzo is, and like I know my own dog is, a very smart and talented soul. He realizes what is taking place in the world around him; he understands the trouble that his family is going through; he also knows the answers and solutions to those problems, but he cannot communicate effectively other than using small gestures that prove to be pointless most of the time.

  Sure, he can be clever and even sometimes a stubborn individual, but nonetheless, Enzo explains what it means to love, forgive, protect, and cherish those people and things you hold dear by comparing life to one of his favorite past-times, racing. Life is not always about how fast you can go; "The one who drives smart will always win in the end." His canine life is so profoundly inspiring for all of the humankind. You are guaranteed to laugh and most definitely cry as you witness the beauty of his life unfold from beginning to end in this endearing novel.

• Favorite Quotes:

-"Sure, I'm stuffed into a dog's body, but that's just the shell. It's what's inside that's important. The soul. And my soul is very human."

-"It makes one realize that the physicality of our world is a boundary to us only if our will is weak; a true champion can accomplish things that a normal person would think impossible."

-"Yes: the race is long- to finish first, you must finish."

• Favorite Chapter:

-"Chapter 11" (Or as I like to title it, "The Stuffed Zebra!"): This chapter was hilarious to me! I can totally see his situation with the evil stuffed animal, as something that one of my dogs would do. Just being able to see their train of thought makes me literally laugh out loud! 

-"Imola, Italy": My favorite chapter by far, and I don't want to give anything away, so you will see why once you read it! This book couldn't have possibly had a better ending!

• Cons:

-Yet another book that I cannot seem to find anything negative to say about it. When a book can move someone, as much as this book moved me, then that means it is a work of art.

  

  And in honor of Enzo's fabulous life, I wanted to share a few other fabulous dogs that I am lucky to have in my own life! Roxy, the boxer, Baloo, the Black Mouth Cur, Ellie, the Alaskan Husky, and *not pictured* Sadie, the Yellow Lab.