Day 14, January 14, 2012:
SOMETHING YOU'RE READING
I'm a rule breaker. I just finished this book, so get over it already.
(Doug was not happy there was a book in his food bowl.)
People have been telling me how good The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein is for some time now. In fact, when I was in the waiting room just prior to my IUI, two people told me some variation of "OMG, that book is soooo good." The funny thing is that I remember reading the book description when it was first released to paperback. At the time it didn't make it to my to-read list because the idea of car racing just didn't interest me. Sure, I LOVED Marley & Me, but this one? Eh, I'll pass.
But I was wrong. So wrong. If you never listen to anything else I say, please listen to this: run, don't walk, to go read this book.
What's not to love about this book? The Art of Racing in the Rain has a creative story line. It's narrated by a dog, which is totally unique, but the story is so much more than a discourse on Kibbles 'n Bits. Stein develops a story that leaves you hanging on the edge of your seat. He puts you through a whole gauntlet of emotions. I know it sounds cliche to say that I laughed and I cried, but I did. I laughed out loud, and I bawled my eyes out. It wasn't just that, though. I felt like I got punched in the stomach at one point. It was as if I had the wind knocked out of me. And the ending, oh the ending... It's expected on one hand and completely unexpected on the other hand. The ending is beautiful. It's magical. It's perfect. I'm just sorry I waited so long to read it.
Photo-A-Day Challenge: Day 1 - 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, it really killed me. I read that one when we were living in San Francisco, before we knew we were moving to Seattle. The main character lives in my neighborhood... all of the coffee shops he goes to are within 2 blocks of our apartment, and they're really cool.
ReplyDeleteAnother blogger I really enjoy had a list of the books she read in 2011, and I thought you'd enjoy it: http://nothingbutbonfires.com/2012/01/i-like-big-books-and-i-cannot-lie. I noted a few myself!
You had commented earlier about how I should read this book and it was really because of you that I read it :) I said if Sheri's recommending it then I am reading it. As I was reading it I kept asking myself if you knew of the different places and neighborhoods. Mercer Island comes to mind, where Eve's parents lived...
ReplyDeleteI'm going to check out that list. Thanks for sending it my way :)
Mercer Island is really pretty. It's really close to Seattle, joined by a very short bridge, and it looks a lot like Tiburon/Belvedere in Marin (which I know you appreciate). :-)
ReplyDeleteOh? Sounds like a pretty cool place!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to read it:) Doug looks so precious in this picture too:)
ReplyDeleteI have it if you want to borrow it. I actually bought this one instead of checking it out at the library.
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