The Art of Racing in the Rain • Garth Stein

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is the first of two books that I very recently finished, but before the 50 in 2012 project began.  I finished the book recent enough and I liked it enough that I wanted to include a write-up, but it will not count as one of the 50.

The Art of Racing in the Rain caught my eye initially through a newsletter or recommendation on PaperbackSwap.com.  The story is told by Enzo, the faithful and loving, but very old, dog of a semi-professional race car driver.  Like I said Enzo is old and is very close to dying, but this is okay to him as he fully believes that a dog’s next step in the living cycle is to come back as a man, and Enzo desperately longs for thumbs.  He is convinced of this return to the world as a human from documentaries that he watches through the day when his master is at work.

So Enzo narrates the story of his master’s life, Denny, that he has had the privilege to experience.  It is a gut-wrenching story of Denny’s wife getting sick and ultimately dying, of Denny having his only daughter stripped from him by his (possibly well-meaning, but very manipulative) parents-in-law.  The fight to recapture and rebuild what he can of his family, all while juggling work and his other love, racing.   Intermixed though the story are tales of racing, Denny and Enzo’s many hours spent watch racing videos (both of Denny and of professional races), Denny’s wisdom in racing situations and how that same wisdom can translate into real-life situations so easily and appropriately.

This book really hooked me in with so many connections.  The love of dogs, as a father of kids about the same age as Zoë, Denny’s daughter, and the racing wisdom really spoke to an inner me.  I have raced cars, and while a back condition has kept me from the track for several years now, I still hold on to the possibility that I can climb back into my Formula Ford soon.  Garth Stein’s ability to take these track sayings, sayings that I used to hear or even use, and cast them over life itself was remarkable.  I feel that I learned about myself, how my mind operates, through the experiences, example, and thoughts of Denny.  For an author, that I am presuming does not have racing experience, to weave that world into the book in a way that I learn about myself…gifted writing.

Sayings like “No race has even been won in the first corner – but plenty of races have been lost there.”  Showing how being aggressive, launching hard (even showing off) early, or being so wrapped up in the excitement of the start of the event, can yield disastrous results, especially in an endurance race.  Or “Your car goes where your eyes go.”  A truism that is translated to life several times by both Enzo and Denny as, “That which we manifest is before us.”  Even talking about the selfishness of a racer and then seeing those same examples in me.  These are connections that the non-racer may not be as impacted by, and as such, may not have the same love and respect of this story as I have.  I would be interested in other’s thoughts as they read these in the book and if you experience similar understanding or impact.

The other reason that I like this book so much was how Garth Stein was able to take a situation like a dog dying (served up to us on page 2), and then get the reader so wrapped up in the story that when Enzo does actually die, it feels shocking!  It is a tear-jerker that you forget about as you are reading and when it does finally happen, the author is still able to draw out that much emotion from the reader.

When I was reading this book, I immediately wanted to give it to my father.  He had done some racing of various kinds in the past (and with me), and I thought that he would connect in a similar way as I did.  He is also a serious dog-lover, and I thought that the connection to Enzo would be strong.  As I was finishing the book though, one of his dogs died, and suddenly.  I debated actually giving it to him, torn between the thought of pouring orange juice on an open wound or could the book offering some healing and happiness to the situation, as you really end up loving Enzo and I felt that he was going to get what he believed was coming to him.

In the end, I did give him the book, but I am not sure if he has read it (or will).  I can only hope that it offers healing.