The Art of Racing In the Rain - Garth Stein

The Art of Racing In the Rain - Garth Stein

Author:

Garth Stein

Published:

2008

Blurb on the Back:

Enzo knows he is different from other dogs: a philosopher with a nearly human soul (and an obsession with opposable thumbs), he has educated himself by watching television extensively, and by listening very closely to the words of his master, Denny Swift, an up-and-coming race car driver.

Through Denny, Enzo has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, and he sees that life, like racing, isn't simply about going fast. On the eve of his death, Enzo takes stock of his life, recalling all that he and his family have been through.

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, The Art of Racing in the Rain is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life...as only a dog could tell it.

Review:

This book was read as part of my 2014 Goodreads.com Reading Challenge.

Garth Stein has created a wonderful book based around the reminiscences of a dog in the hours before he is going to be put down. Enzo the dog in question is a reincarnation believing, opposable thumb envying, lovable narrator, who as he accepts that is time is nearing an end and taking the reader on a tour back through his life constantly shows his unwavering loyalty to his master Denny Swift, an up and coming race car driver.   

The book shows the life of Denny and Enzo from the view of the faithful companion. How relationships affected them, how Denny's love of motor sport imprints itself on Enzo, the birth of children and what that meant to Enzo and Denny and how illness of loved ones affect them. 

The book is both heart-warming and heartbreaking in equal measure and the ending, Oh it was perfect. 

The book is fantastically well written and you cannot help but fall in love with the characters involved and that makes sharing their ups and downs all the more emotional. 

A must read for dog lovers and well everyone else too.

9 out of 10

Peace 

Deejay

Join Me - Danny Wallace

Join Me - Danny Wallace

Author: 

Danny Wallace

Publish Date: 

2003

Blurb on the Back:

They didn't know what they were joining...

They didn't know why they were joining...

But joining they were.

Danny Wallace was bored. Just to see what would happen, he placed a whimsical small ad in a local London paper. It said, simply ‘Join Me’. Within a month, he was receiving letters and e-mails from intrigued strangers all over the country, eager to sign up.

Teachers, mechanics, sales reps, vicars, schoolchildren, pensioners – all pledged allegiance to his cause. None knew what that cause was.

Soon he was proclaimed Leader. Increasingly obsessed and possibly power crazed, he risked losing his sanity and his loyal girlfriend. But who could deny the attraction of a global following of thousands of devoted joinees?

A modern day Pied Piper, he traveled the world.

From Inverness to Amsterdam, Swindon, Paris, Zurich,Crete and Oslo. He became a minor celebrity in Belgium. He had a brush with a criminal mastermind in Devon. He made hundreds of old men all over the world very happy.

A book about dreams, ambitions and the responsibility that comes with power, JOIN ME is the true story of a man who created a cult by accident, and is proof that whilst some men were born to lead, others really haven't got a clue...

Review:

(Note this is a repost from the 11 April 2013)

So you may have noticed in my last blog I mentioned a chap by the name of Danny Wallace (Not the Footballer). In Join Me, Danny largely by accident starts a cult (or as he prefers it to be known a "collective") by entering a small advert into a local London paper. the ad simply said "JOIN ME" and asked any one wanting to join to send a passport sized photo of themselves to Danny. He never gave any explanation of what they where joining, mainly because he didn't have the faintest idea what the purpose was.

As people respond and the members start to grow Danny struggles to keep things secret from his long suffering girlfriend, Hanne, who has had enough of his "stupid boy projects" after his exploits with Dave Gorman in a previous book ("Are you Dave Gorman" still to be reviewed by me.)

More importantly however he finally isn't able to avoid what the purpose of his cult/collective is for and as a result he is finally backed into a corner and forced to invent a reason. Instead of using his ever growing power for evil however, he decides that its purpose should be to do random good deeds on a Friday which eventually lead to them adopting the moniker of "The Karma Army"

Join Me is a nicely paced and humorous book and Danny tells the story in a straight forward but entertaining style. He is also very openly critical of where he went wrong. The Karma Army is still going strong which is testament to the good work that Danny wanted to promote. I would say however that like America Unchained, once read it doesn't have much re-read value but still a very uplifting book to read.

9 out 10

Now just a short wee note. Posts from me will be a bit sporadic I work a condensed week so your more likely to see me active on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday than the rest of the week also any comments you have would be most appreciated.

For now this book is about to be replaced. Not sure by what yet but the Changing Mat looks the odds on favorite.

Hope you have fun

Deejay