The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein

Posted on Apr 24, 2009
By Tanya Turgeon

The Art of Racing in the Rain
by Garth Stein

REVIEW by Tanya Turgeon

HarperCollins, 2008
321 pages
$23.95

   "April showers bring May flowers" certainly seems to be holding true this spring, at least in the New York City metro area. A damp day is a great reason to dive into a new read and one with a precipitation theme seems quite appropriate. In his third novel, The Art of Racing in the Rain, Garth Stein wraps the special skill of racing cars in the rain around an intense family drama. Then he hands the whole package over to Enzo the dog to narrate.

   Enzo fulfills the image of the ideal dog: thoughtful, observant, intuitive, obedient and loyal. But he also exhibits the complexities of man; experiencing anxiety, feelings of entrapment, relief, and a strong spirituality often delivered in a stream of consciousness. Enzo not only struggles with his television watching habits but his identity. Is he a labrador/shepherd/poodle mix? Is there Airedale terrier in him? Statements like, "I never knew my father" will make you chuckle and second guess what dogs think about.

    It seems a safe bet that a majority of modern dog-themed books fall into the hands of women readers. This one should strongly appeal to men since it is saturated with car racing references and metaphors (which I'm sure some women appreciate as well). In my case I didn't even recognize the dog's name Enzo (Enzo Ferrari the man was an "italian race car driver and entrepreneur"; Enzo Ferrari the automobile is a "12 cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company's founder") as having to do with race cars until halfway through the book, and even then I had to google it to fill in that last parenthetical (thanks Wikipedia).

    What words aren't spent on Enzo's fear of a demon zebra or lack of respect for monkeys chart the trials of his owner Denny, who for the majority of the book deals with life's darker side; illness, death, separation from his young daughter, insensitive inlaws, custody suits. Enzo is there for it all, explaining and rationalizing how to get through the tough times by applying the same skills used in racing. If you're looking for uplifting you'll have to experience many pages of pain before finding it. If you're looking for realism in a land of many fairy tales, Stein provides it. If you're looking for a novel you can share with the man in your life and have a healthy discussion about (okay maybe that's asking a bit much) this is the one.