The Art of Racing in the Rain
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Evaluating his life on the eve of his death, atypical canine Enzo considers the sacrifices his master, Denny Swift, has made in his pursuit of becoming a professional race car driver, and the dog's own efforts to preserve the Swift family.
HARPERCOLL
Enzo
… More »Evaluating his life on the eve of his death, atypical canine Enzo considers the sacrifices his master, Denny Swift, has made in his pursuit of becoming a professional race car driver, and the dog's own efforts to preserve the Swift family.
HARPERCOLL
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 pulled 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.
Blackwell North Amer
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, Zoe, whose maternal grandparents pulled 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 Zoe 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.
Baker
& Taylor
Evaluating his life on the eve of his death, atypical canine Enzo considers the sacrifices his master, Denny Swift, has made in his pursuit of becoming a professional race car driver; the painful custody battle between Denny and his in-laws, and the dog's own efforts to preserve the Swift family. 200,000 first printing.
Nearing the end of his life, Enzo, a dog with a philosopher's soul, tries to bring together the family, pulled apart by a three year custody battle between daughter Zoe's maternal grandparents and her father Denny, a race car driver.
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Add Age Suitabilityblue_swallow_11 thinks this title is suitable for 15 years and over
Billy_Bob_Ray_Smith thinks this title is suitable for 15 years and over
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Summary
Add a SummaryA tale in which Enzo, a loyal family dog, tells the story of his human family, how they nearly fell apart, and what he did to bring them back together. Enzo knows he is different from other dogs - he thinks and feels in nearly human ways. He has educated himself by watching extensive television, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.
Enzo knows he is different from other dogs' a philospher with a nearly human soul (and a obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television and listening carefully to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up and coming race car driver. Now in his twightly years, Enzo finds himself thinking back on his life with the Swift family, reflecting on all he has learned about the human conditions and how life, like racing, is about so much more than simply going fast.
Notices
Add a NoticeCoarse Language: Some swearing
Sexual Content: Some descriptions of nudity and sex
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Add a CommentHands-down one of the best books I've read in awhile. I could not...stop...crying--in a good way. This story is told which such fluidity, beauty and grace, the likes of which I haven't seen in a very long time. As a dog-mom myself, I can only hope my dogs think as highly of and love me as much as Enzo loves his master.
I wish there were more stars to select! Enzo is perfect. Garth should do a series.
Engaging! If you love stories with loyalty and struggle against seen and unseen foes, you will thoroughly enjoy this book. Written from the perspective of Enzo the dog, you are carried through the book with Enzo's eyes, ears, nose and body. Amazing. Heart wrenching. Loved it.
Can I reserve 10 copies for our book club?
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. Several friends of mine read it and said I should read it. I absolutely loved it.
Originally listed as a book for youths ( juvenile) it is very readable from the point of views of any adult. A book about forgiveness but this reader could never forgive the vindictive in-laws. Nice that the husband/father could. The ending is a little strange but fitting.
I am not a dog lover but I liked the book. The story is predictable but it was still good nevertheless. A nice quick read. Some of the relationships between characters could have been more thoroughly developed. There were certain plot points that angered me so he wrote enough to illicit a strong reaction from me A decent read, and something a bit different as it’s told from the point of view of a dog.
A great book for dog lovers.
I finished this book on the T this morning - shed a few tears. And yesterday I was laughing out loud about a few excerpts. Some of the precise desciptions of Enzo's doglike behavior leaves you wondering if your own dog has similar thoughts... and favorite actors? and TV shows?
For a story which purport to be about a philosopher dog the insights are shallow. There is a lot of sadness and dysfunction in the family and the author does not resolve much of the background which caused the grandparents to insist on custody of their grandchild and the niece to invent a story of sexual abuse. Is this a symptom of the society which breed the mongrel dog? This is not an enduring story. It is an intereting read but I won't remember the book in 6 months.