Sometimes you just need to read something easy and simple and that makes you feel good. That’s what I needed. In less than 24 hours, I had devoured The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. It’s a simple book, if a little heavily sentimental at times. It will make you feel good. It will likely make you cry. And it will make you want to go get a dog.

The Art of Racing in the Rain is the story of Enzo, a retriever and terrier mutt, and his life with Denny, the sometimes race car driver. The book is Enzo’s story; he narrates everything from his point of view, and we learn of his desires, his understanding of the world, his bodily functions, his wit, and his heart. And through Enzo’s story, we experience Denny’s life, with all its turbulent twists, turns, and rain on its racetracks.

Enzo is actually pretty funny. The way he sees the world is unique; his description of how Denny and Eve, his wife, being “full of fermented drinks…made them both act funny” is quite on point. His thoughts on how thumbs are wasted on monkeys are priceless. Enzo believes, based upon a National Geographic TV special about a Mongolian tradition, that when dogs pass away, if they have been good, their souls will come back as humans. Also, Enzo really likes TV, which Denny leaves on for him most days while he is at work at the local BMW dealership. I love that Enzo’s two favorite actors are Steve McQueen and Al Pacino, and that his impression of the climatic courtroom scene is based upon having seen a few too many episodes of Law and Order. I really love that he has an imaginary friend named ‘King Karma’ that “will swoop out of the sky and call you names…if you are cruel and vicious.” What Enzo brings to the tables are feelings. He believes in the truth of emotions, and as he lives, he wears his emotions on his sleeve…er…um…I mean his ears at every chance he gets.

We learn in the first chapter that Enzo is dying. He is ready to go to sleep and come back as a human. He spends the book reflecting back on his life with Denny and their friendship. Denny’s life dose have some pretty heavy handed ups and downs (a lot of downs actually, come to think of it), but these are not the point of the book. They are just background plot that enable us to feel the love between Enzo and his master and friend, and how they loyally stand together the entire time, taking care of each other and bringing happiness and comfort into the other’s life for 320 pages.

The racing in the rain theme reoccurs every few pages. Denny the race car driver loves to watch racing videos, and teaches Enzo all about driving. The metaphors about living a good live are rather obvious throughout: “the cars go where the eyes go,” “there is no dishonor in losing the race…there is only dishonor in not racing because you are afraid,” or “The race is long. It is better to drive within oneself and finish the race behind the others than it is to drive too hard and crash.” But even with the lack of subtlety in the racing life lessons, this book felt good. It was easy to read and relaxing. I enjoyed it. I used to have a dog. I really want to have one again. Maybe a terrier mutt.

Score – 7.5. A little overt and heavy handed, but this book made me feel good.