The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

August 20th, 2010 by Katharine Davis

Please excuse the delay! I’m not sure where yesterday went, so I’m posting my Thursday Thoughts on Friday.  Now that it’s August and we’ve had one beautiful day after another, I guess my brain is in a lazy summer mode.

In the summer I tend to take more car trips.  There is nothing better to help the miles fly by than listening to books on tape/CD.  Recently, I listened to The Art of Racing in the Rain in by Garth Stein and performed by Christopher Evan Welch. So I did not “read” this novel, but listened to it, and I recommend it highly!  My sister loved this book and I was a bit dubious as it has to do with car racing and is told from the point of view of a dog- Yes, the narrator is a dog called Enzo.  Even though car racing is not one of my interests, the story is just plain wonderful!  Enzo is one wise dog and I fell into his story completely.  There are sad moments, joyous moments, and the parallels to car racing and the human experience are thought provoking.  I didn’t finish the book on my trip and spent the next few days playing it in the car as I did my errands.  I didn’t care what anyone thought as I lingered in parking lots or in my driveway listening to every last word.  I think you will enjoy this story on your summer travels, or in the car as you drive around town.  You might even want to “read” the book.