The Art of Racing in the Rain    by Garth Stein Order:  USA  Can Harper, 2009 (2008) Hardcover, Softcover, CD, e-Book Read an Excerpt      Reviewed by Deb Kincaid Race car drivers recognize that rain is dangerous. Success under rainy conditions depends largely upon the driver's skill. Denny Swift is one of those skillful drivers, coming from misty, rainy Seattle. Racing in the rain can also refer to drawing upon your integrity, ability, and fortitude when threatened. This is what Garth Stein's The Art of Racing in the Rain is about. The narrator is Enzo, a lab-terrier mix and Denny's loyal companion. Enzo laments that he's not human, that he doesn't have opposable thumbs, and that he is limited to gestures when communicating. But, he understands the human heart, has an inherent sense of when to bark and when to be quiet, when to sound a warning and when to be supportive. And he loves racing as much as Denny does. Denny meets and falls fully in love with Eve. They marry and have a daughter together, Zoë. Migraines begin to plague Eve, but she refuses to see a doctor. One day, she has no choice. Eve is diagnosed with a brain tumor; Zoë is three. When Eve dies, Denny isn't permitted to grieve, as the Evil Twins - Eve's parents - use their wealth and power to take Zoë from him. How much can a man take? Although Denny is a competitor, and he loves Zoë, he also knows the good guys don't always win. The Art of Racing in the Rain is written memoir-style, through the eyes of Enzo who, on the night he dies, reminisces about the life he shared with Denny. In life it often happens that when it rains it pours, and Denny's experiences have a realism that absorbs the reader, and testify to the resilience of the human spirit. This is a well crafted, meaningful story written with an insider's knowledge of professional racing. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews