The Art of Racing in the Rain

By Garth Stein
(Harper Paperbacks, Paperback, 9780061537967, 336pp.)

Publication Date: May 15, 2009

Categories: General

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Selected by Indie Booksellers for the Spring/Summer '09 Reading Group List
“Sometimes, if you are very lucky, fate gives you a special friend. Denny's friend Enzo will stand by him through some of the best and worst times of his life, his faith in Denny bone deep. Enzo is a dog, a dog with a very old soul. Denny is a race driver with natural talent, but sometimes life gets in the way of natural talent, and the road can have sharp bends. Suffused with humor, love, pain, and valor, this should be one of the year's best books!”
-- Deon Stonehouse, Sunriver Books, Sunriver, OR
Selected by Indie Booksellers for the Fall '09/Winter '10 Reading Group List
“That this protagonist is an Airedale-Lab mix does not detract from his wisdom, depth of spirit, or, well ... humanity. Enzo is there for Denny as he strives for success as a race car driver, and as more poignant turns of fate befall him.”
-- Cheryl McKeon, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA
Selected by Indie Booksellers for the Indie Next List Highlights 2008
“Sometimes, if you are very lucky, fate gives you a special friend. Denny's friend Enzo will stand by him through some of the best and worst times of his life, his faith in Denny bone deep. Enzo is a dog, a dog with a very old soul. Denny is a race driver with natural talent, but sometimes life gets in the way of natural talent, and the road can have sharp bends. Suffused with humor, love, pain, and valor, this should be one of the year's best books!”
-- Deon Stonehouse, Sunriver Books, Sunriver, OR

Description

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope—a captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life . . . as only a dog could tell it



About the Author

The author of two novels, How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets and Raven Stole the Moon, and a play, Brother Jones, Garth Stein has also worked as a documentary filmmaker. He lives in Seattle with his family.



Conversation Starters from ReadingGroupChoices.com

1. Some early readers of the novel have observed that viewing the world through a dog's eyes makes for a greater appreciation of being human. Why do you think this is?



Praise For The Art of Racing in the Rain…

"Fans of Marley & Me, rejoice."
-Entertainment Weekly

"I savored Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain for many reasons: a dog who speaks, the thrill of competitive racing, a heart-tugging storyline, and--best of all--the fact that it is a meditation on humility and hope in the face of despair."
-Wally Lamb, Author of She's Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True

"The Art of Racing in The Rain has everything: love, tragedy, redemption, danger, and--most especially--the canine narrator Enzo. This old soul of a dog has much to teach us about being human."
-Sara Gruen, Author of Water for Elephants

"The perfect book for anyone who knows that some of our best friends walk beside us on four legs; that compassion isn't only for humans; and that the relationship between two souls...meant for each other never really comes to an end."
-Jodi Picoult

"One of those stories that may earn its place next to Richard Bach's 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull,' Paulo Coelho's 'The Alchemist,' and Yann Martel's 'Life of Pi.'"
-Portland Oregonian

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