Wednesday, November 26, 2014

November Book - The Art of Racing in the Rain

Peacy Keen Blog Book Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Lex's Review:
Andy and I switch off months picking the book to read, which I've found to be quite fun. Because of our different interests and likes, we each pick books that the other person might not have thought to read on their own. The Art of Racing in the Rain is one of those books for me. I'm not an animal person, so naturally a book all about a dog probably wouldn't have made its way onto my list of books I want to read. (Actually, it's not so much a list, but more a bunch of yellow Post-It notes strewn about my desk at work and nightstand at home, ha.) With that being said, I have to confess that I truly enjoyed this book.

Told from the perspective of the dog, Enzo, this story covers a wide range of experiences and emotions in the life of his professional race car driving owner, Denny Swift. The emotional highs are high and the lows are pretty low throughout Denny's life, but they set the ground for some tender and raw moments between owner and pet. And although I've never understood that owner/pet relationship, their relationship felt like that of two best friends who had--and would--always be there for each other. 4 out of 5 stars from me!

Andy's Review:
The Art of Racing in the Rain first appeared on my reading list when a coworker gushed over the premise during its 2008 release. Last year, the hubs kindly purchased a kid-friendly version of this novel this for me, which I never read because I wanted the grown-up version, but that's beside the point. The point: a bit of naughty language and sexual references exist in this book. Nothing porno-level, but there's your warning.

I adore this book for a few reasons. First, it's told entirely from the perspective of an old, witty canine who has a lot of interesting things to say. Second, it forces you to reflect on relationships and how the oddities of life change how we interact with the people around us. Third, I cried. Now, I should confess that I cry at practically everything (most recently the Odd Life of Timothy Green), but this book invoked the ugly-cry. I think it's because I really related to Eve's struggle and Enzo's curiosity. The unexpected content hit home. I agree with Lex on this one: 4/5 stars.

Have you read The Art of Racing in the Rain? What was your favorite part of the book?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
December's book is Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.

"In boyhood, Louis Zamperini was an incorrigible delinquent. As a teenager, he channeled his defiance into running, discovering a prodigious talent that had carried him to the Berlin Olympics. But when World War II began, the athlete became an airman, embarking on a journey that led to a doomed flight on a May afternoon in 1943. When his Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean, against all odds, Zamperini survived, adrift on a foundering life raft. Ahead of Zamperini lay thousands of miles of open ocean, leaping sharks, thirst and starvation, enemy aircraft, and, beyond, a trial even greater. Driven to the limits of endurance, Zamperini would answer desperation with ingenuity; suffering with hope, resolve, and humor; brutality with rebellion. His fate, whether triumph or tragedy, would be suspended on the fraying wire of his will."

21 comments:

  1. Oh I'm so glad you guys read this book, it's one of my absolute favorites! I'm like Lex, and am in no way a dog person -- but I still loved this book and it (almost) makes me want to get a dog, haha. Unbroken is also an excellent, but hard, read. I hope you like it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Britt, we need to be friends! I've found that there aren't too many people out there who understand the whole not liking animals thing...especially not liking dogs. And confession, I read Unbroken in two days because I couldn't put it down. What can I say, I'm a sucker for WWII books.

      Delete
    2. Friends -- done! :) I am so with you, animals are not for me! I really enjoyed Unbroken, but it was so hard to read - I love WWII books, too, but usually focus on the Europe side of things (read: Holocaust) so this was a new perspective and I really enjoyed it!

      Also, I've just been perusing your blog and love it. You two are so cute. Are you guys sisters?

      Delete
    3. Can I be friends, too? Even with a bigger love of dogs and a smaller love of war novels?
      & we're not sisters--not by blood at least. Her parents did take me to Disneyland once though, so I think that qualifies for some kind of kinship.

      Delete
    4. Haha, of course we can be friends :) I agree, that totally qualifies! I'm glad I found your blog!

      Delete
  2. I hadn't heard of this, so I am intrigued! I loved getting both if your POVs, too. So great! Thanks for linking up and sharing your post!:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's definitely an unexpectedly interesting read. Thanks to you, too!

      Delete
  3. Ok I have to say.. this book has been sitting on my shelf for about 2 years now and I just can't make myself read it. I teared up just reading your post. I have such a soft spot for Dogs (all animals actually) I just can't handle the sad parts! Marley and Me? Nope. Milo and Otis? NOPE. Your review though did *slightly* make me want to pick up my copy... thanks so much for sharing and I am glad you guys liked it so much!

    Sarah - http://sarahsayhello.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a tear-jerker for dog lovers. But it does have a surprise ending that makes things almost all better. Also: I don't remember Milo & Otis ending sad, for some reason. I'm going to have to go investigate now.

      Delete
  4. Oh, gosh. This book has been on my list but (like Sarah) I'm so afraid of reading it because I think it will depress me too much! I am not a huge animal person either, but I know what a good piece of literature can do to your emotions!! Maybe I will be brave enough to read it eventually :) Thanks for the review!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Don't worry--all you need is a giant box of tissues and someone to snuggle after reading this. ;) Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  5. I read this book quite a while ago (I think I was in junior high, actually) and I remember really loving it! A very cool perspective.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love books with unconventional perspectives! Thanks for stopping by. :)

      Delete
  6. You had me at the dog's perspective. Sounds like a great read.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You'll have to add it to your book list! :)

      Delete
  7. The Art of Racing in the Rain is a great book. I read it and loved it a lot. Great to see another perspective.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm probably a terrible person for this but I'm just not a big dog lover. So, I struggled through this one although almost everyone I know loved it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha, I'm not an animal person (AT ALL) so I can definitely understand where you're coming from. :) I think that I ended up getting into the book after a few chapters because Enzo became more of a person to me than just a pet.

      Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  9. I loved this book so much. It made me cry like nobody's business.

    Thanks for linking up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for letting us join in on the link up! A cry is good once in a while, yeah?

      Delete