Book ~ "The Art of Racing in the Rain" (2009) Garth Stein

From Amazon ~ If you've ever wondered what your dog is thinking, Stein's novel offers an answer. Enzo is a lab terrier mix plucked from a farm outside Seattle to ride shotgun with race car driver, Denny Swift, as he pursues success on the track and off. Denny meets and marries Eve, has a daughter, Zoë, and risks his savings and his life to make it on the professional racing circuit. Enzo, frustrated by his inability to speak and his lack of opposable thumbs, watches Denny's old racing videos, coins koan-like aphorisms that apply to both driving and life, and hopes for the day when his life as a dog will be over and he can be reborn a man. When Denny hits an extended rough patch, Enzo remains his most steadfast if silent supporter. Enzo is a reliable companion and a likable enough narrator.

I like reading books about animals. This one is interesting because it's written by Enzo, the dog.

I'm not spoiling anything for you by telling you that this book doesn't start happy. You discover in the first couple pages that Enzo is dying and Eve (Denny's wife) is dead. What follows is Enzo telling you his life story ... how Denny took him home, met and married Eve and they have a daughter, their life together and so on.

This is the first novel by this author that I've read. I enjoyed the writing style and found it moved quickly. Enzo is quite intelligent and frustrated by his inability to speak.

I'd recommend this book. If you had a hard time reading Marley & Me, you may feel the same with this one.