Published: July 16, 2008 10:42 am            

Library Shelf 07-16-08

Here I am again, your library’s stock car race fan.

Did I tell you that I am also a dog lover? To some, this would be a strange combination in a person.

Apparently, author Garth Stein doesn’t think so. He has written a novel combining the love of these two things in his new book, “The Art of Racing in the Rain.” The main characters are Denny, a young husband, father and race car driver, and his dog Enzo, a lab-terrier mix.

This novel was most interesting to me because the narration of the story is done by Enzo, the dog. Enzo has spent his entire life with Denny enjoying the same things as his owner: watching TV, racing and watching Denny’s old racing videos.

After watching a documentary, Enzo believes he will be reincarnated as a man after death. He is very excited at this thought because he wants very much to have opposable thumbs and the ability to speak. Denny dreams of being a driver on the professional racing circuit.

As usual in any novel, there are many dramatic highs and lows that interfere with their dreams.

Stein’s ability to make you believe Enzo is actually telling this story made me look at my own dog, Mikey, in a different light. Does he look at the world around him in the same way Enzo does? Maybe he too enjoys the SPEED channel as much as I do.

For all you lovers of fast cars and dogs, this book is for you.

        

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