"I am ready.": The Art of Racing in the Rain Book Review The Art of Racing in the Rain is a different book with told from the perspective of a dog. - ReadingGroupGuides Advertising Monday, October 31, 2011 By Millie Albarran The Art of Racing in the Rain is a story told like no other- after all, a dog that believes he should have been born a man narrates it. The story starts with our philosophical dog, Enzo, lying in a puddle of his own urine and waiting for his owner, Denny Swift, to come home. It is the eve of Enzo’s death and he reviews his life with Denny and all that they’ve gone through together: the death of Denny’s wife, Eve, the 3 year long battle for custody of his daughter, Zoë, whose maternal grandparents pulled every string to gain custody, and the constant struggle with his racing career. In the end, Enzo has valiantly kept the family together, though his time is coming to an end. But he is not afraid to die, because he believes that when he passes away he will be reincarnated a man. This story will have you laughing one minute and crying the next as Enzo tells of family, loss, and love and how life is like racing: if you use the right techniques, you can get through any trouble successfully. I love how human Enzo is, and despite his efforts to be like a person, you’re always aware that he’s a dog. His point of view on life is so wise and thoughtful, no one would think like he does. One example is when he’s left alone for days with no food or water and he imagines seeing Zoë’s stuffed zebra attacking all the other stuffed toys and ripping itself apart, when in reality Enzo is the one who rips the plush to shreds. From then on, Enzo refers to the zebra as an inner demon in everyone that we must suppress. A recurring theme in this book is to never give up hope. After Denny had been beat down again and again by Zoë’s maternal grandparents and was on the verge of signing the custody papers, Enzo knew this is not what Denny wanted: Denny never gave up hope. Enzo snatched the papers, ran from Denny and his best friend Mike, and finally peed on the papers to prove his point: they were not giving up on Zoë. So they continue their battle for their little girl and are successful, but Enzo’s battle is nearing its end. “In Mongolia, when a dog dies, he is buried high in the hills so people cannot walk on his grave. The dog’s master whispers into the dog’s ear his wishes that the dog will return as a man in his next life. Then his tail is cut off and put beneath his head, and a piece of meat or fat is placed in his mouth to sustain his soul on its journey; before he is reincarnated, the dog’s soul is freed to travel the land, to run across the high desert plains for as long as it would like. I learned that from a program on the National Geographic channel, so I believe it is true. Not all dogs return as men, they say; only those who are ready. I am ready.”  -Enzo

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