Art of Racing in the Rain Movie Tie-In Edition

by Garth Stein

No cover — Garth Stein: Art of Racing in the Rain Movie Tie-In Edition (2019, HarperCollins Canada, Limited)

352 pages

English language

Published Oct. 7, 2019 by HarperCollins Canada, Limited.

ISBN:: 978-0-06-237094-5

(3 reviews)

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.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.

16 editions

patchworkbunny reviewed Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Review of 'Art of Racing in the Rain' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

I'm not sure I read the same "heart-warming book" as everyone else! I started off liking the canine commentary on life but then Denny hits Enzo. This is after the dog has been left alone for three whole days, of course he's going to destroy things (incidentally, I loved how Enzo thought it was a demon and not himself who did the damage). So now I didn't like Denny and my patience wore thin as the story progresses into darkness.

Enzo sniffs out the illness in Eve's head well before she is symptomatic, but even then she refuses to see a doctor. Why, is something Enzo is never privy to. Eve and Zoe go to live with Eve's parents, who don't like Denny much. If you think your wife is dying, why wouldn't you want to spend more time with her? Was there something more going on that the dog didn't see?

Maybe Denny's really a bit of a failure but Enzo worships him. Though Enzo is a little too human for me to be really charmed by him; I liked his obsession with opposable thumbs and his theories on dew claws. He learns all he knows from watching TV and he believes he will be reincarnated as a human because he heard it on the National Geographic channel, so it must be true. He loves motor racing and peppers his narrative with lots of racing facts. He's part Labrador, part who-knows-what, but he definitely doesn't have that many Lab behaviours.

It really felt like the point of this book was to raise men's rights issues... Of course fathers are capable of looking after their children and no one should have their lives ruined by false accusations. But the way it is done, with the seductive fifteen-year-old girl and clueless Denny, is just icky. Not to mention the father-hating in-laws ready to swoop in the day of their daughter's death to start custody proceedings for their granddaughter. The limitations of Enzo's viewpoint means the whole thing isn't handled with any delicacy. Plus he earlier demonstrated how he is not a reliable narrator, or witness. It's hard to read a book where it's all about the man's life being ruined by false claims, when so many rape cases do not have enough evidence to even make it to court.

I can't imagine how they're going to make this into a film. It looks like there is a kids' version so maybe they have already done a family-friendly edit. I won't be rushing to see it at any rate.

Eduardo Santiago reviewed The Art of Racing in the Rain CD by Garth Stein

Review of 'The Art of Racing in the Rain CD' on 'Goodreads'

No rating

The whole anthropomorphic-pet thing has never worked for me: pretending that an animal without a prefrontal cortex is just a tiny-human-who-can't-speak is absurd—and not in the enjoyable sense of the word. Add to that some silliness about reincarnation, toss in some pointless car racing, a dash of maudlin, ... and thanks but no thanks.

(Audio CD edition; abandoned partway into 2nd disc.)

div1510n

rated it

July 10, 2014