The Art of Racing in the Rain: Review and Giveaway

My daughter's friend, Niki, once described our pets, a cat, Sara, and a dog, Jenny, as "humanized". At the time of this pronouncement our animals were hanging out together in the kitchen, Sara perched up on a kitchen counter, most likely mewing (she is quite verbal), while Jenny excitedly greeted our guest on lower ground, being her usual social self.

"I've always felt almost human. I've always known that there's something about me that's different than other dogs. 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."
~The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein

For those of you who don't know, the narrator of the New York Times bestseller The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is a dog named Enzo. But this novel, published in 2008, set in Seattle, is neither corny nor sentimental. In fact, it's actually kind of edgy. And Enzo, a Lab mix, is no ordinary dog. Along with possessing a "human soul", Enzo is intelligent, witty, insightful, a bit conniving and vengeful, and very engaging as the canine narrator. He's also old, his hips hurt, and he's incontinent. (As the owner of elderly animals, 16-year-old Sara and 12-year-old Jenny, I now cherish our time together, and I don't like to think about the day when these lovely creatures will be gone. Over the years we've reached "pet perfection" with Sara and Jenny; they are treasured family members.) One of Enzo's favorite pastimes is watching TV (how could I not adore a dog who lists his favorite actors?), and videos of races. He calls his owner, race car driver Denny Swift, "brilliant", and is protective and loyal to those he loves. The descriptions of driving a race car, though told from a dog's point of view, are riveting and realistic, with a bit of wisdom mixed in.

"This is what Denny says. He says racing is doing. It is being part of a moment and being aware of nothing else but that moment. Reflection must come at a later time."
~The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein

Enzo entertains us with Denny's story, which includes the art of racing, love, marriage, birth, sickness and--I don't want to say much more or I'll need to add a spoiler alert. But I will say that Garth Stein's novel is compelling and humorous, a book which is both heartbreaking and uplifting. Two thumbs up (with apologies to Enzo)!

Exciting news! HarperCollins is generously offering a copy of The Art of Racing in the Rain as a giveaway (U.S./Canada only).

• To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment.
• For an extra chance at winning, become a follower of this blog, or let me know that you're already a follower.
• For an additional chance, post about this contest on your blog, Facebook, or Twitter.

Enter by 5 PM PDT on Monday, April 12. The winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Tuesday, April 13. Good luck!

Special thanks to Sarah from Terra Communications for sending me this book.