The Art of Racing in the Rain

Author: Garth Stein
Publisher: 2008, HarperCollins
Lexile Measure: 850L
Classification: Fiction

Summary:
This novel, told from the viewpoint of a kind, intelligent, philosophical (and occasionally funny) dog named Enzo, describes life with his master, Denny, as Denny tries to realize his dream of becoming a professional race car driver and Enzo prepares his soul for reincarnation as a human.  Along the way, Denny falls in love, gets married, has a child, and watches his young wife die. 

After Denny’s wife dies, her parents try to take custody of Denny’s daughter using the false rape allegations of a teenage relative as ammunition.  The event in question and its fallout gives Enzo more opportunities than ever to support his master and influence human events.

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Language:
When I first read The Art of Racing in the Rain, I did not notice profanity.  If you had asked me without my notes beside me, I would not have been able to recall.  It is not excessive, and did not seem gratuitous.  The bulk of the book’s profanity comes from Denny’s bombastic criminal defense attorney, and, frankly, it does seem in context with the character as described.   

Profanity Includes:
a*s (pp. 2, 44, 183, 241)
sh*t / shat (pp. 4, 55, 71, 152, 264, 274, 311)
sh*tload (p. 244)
p*ss (p. 267)
screw them (p. 267)
h**l (pp. 11, 64)
f*cking / motherf*cker/ f*cked (pp. 17, 79, 90, 183, 232, 232, 221, 236)
balls (p. 24)
p*ssed off (p. 55)
crap (p. 72)
g*dd*mn (p. 79)
b*stard (p. 217)
p*cker (p. 228)

Drug and Alcohol Use:
The book does not reference drug use.

• It references adult drinking (pp. 4, 6, 14, 86, 204-205, 227-229).
• On pp. 58-61, Denny, the main character, gets drunk.
  

Violence and Crime:

• Denny hit Enzo (pp. 56-57) after Enzo destroyed Denny’s daughter’s stuffed animals. He later apologized.
• The book also discusses Denny’s alleged rape of a teenage relative.  (See below.)
  

Sexual Content:

• One of the main themes of this book is the false allegation of child sexual abuse made against Denny by a teenage relative.  The description of the actual event is not graphic, but the event and its tragic aftermath on Denny’s life comprise the main theme in the second half of the book.  Thus, specific page references are too numerous to mention.  The event is described on pp. 135, and 142-147. References to the event, child molestation, child molesters, sex crimes and rape are found on pp. 190, 193-194, 199, 204, 211, 213, 219.
  
• Other references to sex relate to Denny and his girlfriend when they have sex after they meet but before they are married (pp. 16, 22, 23, 25).  Later, the book refers in a dispassionate way to their efforts to get pregnant (pp. 56, 67, 89, 90, 92-32).
  
• Denny’s best friend is a gay man who, with his partner, supports Denny and Enzo throughout their ordeal (example, pp. 104-105).
  

Other:

• Enzo, the narrator, is a dog that believes in the Mongolian legend that a dog that is prepared will be reincarnated.  Enzo’s preparation for his eventual reincarnation and discussion of it are at the core of this book and are mentioned throughout (examples on pp. 68-69, 250-257).
• Enzo also muses on the subjects of creationism and evolution, wondering why the two theories cannot be reconciled (pp. 18-19).
  

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