Brian's Reading List - 2015

[Brian.]

I have just passed my rough target of 50 books for the year but still 7000 pages short of my 20,000 page target, I will almost certainly finish the year by breaking both of these. I can't help but wonder if I can manage 100 pages by the end of the year.

[Athena]

Well done on passing your target of 50 books! You should be able to read those 7000 pages before the end of the year, so it'll be great that you'll meet both of your goals this year .

[Brian.]

For Your Eyes Only by Ian Fleming



Synopsis
"Bond watched her as she reached the edge of the tables and came up the aisle. It was hopeless. She was coming to meet someone—her lover. She was the sort of woman who always belongs to somebody else. What damnable luck!
Before Bond could pull himself together, the girl had come up to his table and sat down. ‘I’m sorry I’m late. We’ve got to get moving at once. You’re wanted at the office.’ She added under her breath: ‘Crash dive.’"

Sudden emergencies and beautiful girls who aren’t quite what they seem and are the stock-in-trade of James Bond. And when 007 is on the case there’s only one thing you can be sure of—the result will be thrilling. And whether he’s dealing with the assassination of a Cuban thug in America, the destruction of an international heroin ring, or sudden death in the Seychelles, Bond gets the job done. In his own suave and unmistakable style…
(taken from Goodreads)


My Thoughts

After a brief look at my reading logs I realised that I have read quite a few of the Ian Fleming  Bond books, in fact the next one up was the 9th, For Your Eyes Only. As luck would have it, I had this as an ebook ready and waiting on my Kindle. This book isn't one story but a collection of short stories all of which centre around our hero, James Bond. I'll deal with all of these in turn as I think its the best way to review this book.

 

From a View to a Kill.

A motorbike messenger goes missing, suspected killed, during a routine delivery of signals between intelligence services. James Bond is dispatched to aid the investigation and to help find out what happened. There is seemingly no evidence to follow and no obvious enemy. This was the best story in the book in my opinion as it is a great combination of action and intrigue. I really liked the way the enemy disguised themselves, it was really well thought out and built the tension very well. Fleming paints the imagery of what happened very well in this story and I could completely imagine the scenes in my minds eye.

 

For Your Eyes Only.

M calls for Bond and from his manner, Bond can tell something is up and the case is not a usual run of the mill case. It turns out that one of M's friends has been murdered in Jamaica by a criminal who wanted to buy their property. The killer is working for a big crime boss and M would like him terminated. The only issue is that this is a personal job and not an official one and this doesn't sit well with either man. This was another good story, but not quite up to the standards for the preceding one. A lot of the tropical island imagery in Bond films clearly comes from this and other stories. This is one of the stories which explores Bond's reluctance in killing people, particularly those who don't pose him an overt risk.

 

Quantum of Solace.

James Bond is at a dinner party and has a conversation with the governor of Nassau who he doesn't really like. They share niceties and then James is told a story about a civil servant called Masters whose life is going well and he marries a beautiful woman. He is posted to Bermuda and they start their married life together in what would appear to be ideal circumstances. As it happens, his wife has a wondering eye and is not discrete about her affairs with other men on the island. The story then tells about how Masters gets his revenge on his wife. I didn't really like this story, it felt like an unfinished idea which required more work and development. This was my least favourite of the collection. The story bears no relationship to the movie of the same title.

 

Risico.

In this story Bond is investigating a drug smuggling ring in Italy who are sending drugs into the UK. Bond meets up with a man called Kristatos in a restaurant owner by the target Colombo. During this meeting his attention is drawn to a beautiful woman who is Colombo's mistress. Bond is now caught up in a game of cat and mouse involving all these people are there are quite a few twists and turns along the way. This is another very good story from the book and although some of the characters have familiar names they vary from the characters in the movies with the same name.

 

The Hildebrand Rarity.

The final story in the book features Bond doing a favour of sorts for someone and isn't actually on an assignment. He is to catch a rare fish for a millionaire called Krest who is using scientific research as a cover to avoid paying taxes. Krest is a thoroughly horrible individual who belittles Bond and man local to where they are, the Seychelles. Along with this he is also horrible to his wife and beats her. After a night of drinking it's clear that all three would like to hurt him. During the night something happens to Krest and Bond tries to work out who did it. This is a good story but the attitude towards the female character in this story is quite off-putting.

 

As is typical of the Bond books written by Ian Fleming there are some themes that just don't fit with modern society. There is a portrayal that women are seem as less than men and there is some casual racism thrown in for good measure. As I said in the past with regards to Fleming I don't find this too troublesome as it fits in with the prevailing attitudes of the time. There is one exception to this and that is the fact that Mrs Krest is held partially responsible for the fact that she is beaten by her husband. I can't really let that one pass and it did spoil the last story. Most of the stories feature bits that were later expanded upon to form the Bond movies I know and love.

 

3/5 (I liked it).

[Athena]

It's a shame the book wasn't brilliant. The portrayal of women being less than men and the racism, would annoy me a lot I think. It does make sense for the time somewhat, though, but still.

[bobblybear]

A Wild Sheep Chase sounds incredibly bizarre. As a recent appreciator of Murakami, I shall probably give this one a go in the near future, and thanks for the heads up about it being the last of a trilogy.

[Brian.]

A Wild Sheep Chase sounds incredibly bizarre. As a recent appreciator of Murakami, I shall probably give this one a go in the near future, and thanks for the heads up about it being the last of a trilogy.

 

I'm fairly confident it can be read as a stand alone but I always try to read a trilogy or series in order if I can.

[Brian.]

What is Zen? by Alan Watts



Synopsis
A fervent, lifelong student of Zen, Alan Watts shows us that it is both an experience — a singular, powerful moment of realization — and a simple way of life, with an awareness that affects every moment of every day. Adopted by mainstream America in a way that carries only a vague association of its roots in Zen Buddhism, Alan Watts makes it clear that any exploration of Zen must understand and embrace its roots as a form of Buddhist practice derived from its Chinese and East Indian sources.

Examining the background of Zen in East Indian religion, Watts shows us its evolution through the religion of China. Zen is a synthesis of the contemplative insight of Indian religion and the dynamic liveliness of Taoism as they came together in the pragmatic, practical environment of Confucian China. Watts gives us great insight into the living moment of satori and the release of nirvana, as well as the methods of meditation that are current today, and the influence of Zen culturally in the arts of painting and pottery.
(taken from Goodreads)


My Thoughts

I have absolutely no recollection of when or where I obtained this book. After finishing my previous book I was unsure what to pick next but I had a leaning towards something non-fiction and philosophical. I keep my Religious and Spiritual books all on one shelf and my eye was instantly drawn to this book.

 

I first came across Alan Watts many years ago on the internet in the way of audio lectures and talks. Watts has a very interesting past in that he studied Buddhist, specifically Zen Buddhist and then trained and became a Christian priest for a number of years. The result of this is that Watts  has an outlook on life which is a blend of Christian theology, Asian philosophy, and the history of both. Due to the level of his training and studying his philosophy can be a little impenetrable at times but he also has a great knack of explaining things in a simple to understand manner. What is Zen? is quite a small book, about 120 pages and is a collection of some talks he gave later in his life while living in Sausalito, California.

 

I enjoyed the book and as usual with this kind of writing there were certain passages which I found really illuminating. This is a decent introduction to Zen but probably not the best place for someone with no prior knowledge of Buddhist to start. There are places where it gets very intellectual and at these points it can get a little hard to follow which I found a little disappointing, I don't know if that says something about me or not. For someone wanting a good place to start I would heartily recommend Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor. Overall I liked this book and I found it a worthwhile read.

 

 

3/5 (I liked it).

[Brian.]

Land's End to John O'Groats by Sean Conway



Synopsis
Bored of constantly going abroad for holidays, and then realising how little he knew about the British countryside, Sean decided to take a month off work, buy a bike, and do the epic Land's End to John O'Groats, solo and unsupported. What followed was one of the most adventurous months of his life as he faced cold nights, rainy days and a lot of time on his own.

“If I had not done this ride then I probably wouldn’t be where I am today. Every adventure cyclist needs to cycle around Britain. There is just so much to experience.”
(taken from Goodreads)

My Thoughts

I had never heard of Sean Conway until his recent two part series on The Discovery Channel called Sean Conway: Running Britain. The basic premise of the show was that he had cycled the length of the country, swam the length of the country and now by running it he would be the first person to ever do so. I missed the first part but managed to catch the second part and I really enjoyed it. Sean came across as a really likeable person who was out to see what he could achieve without boasting about it. He also has quite a good sense of humour and is pretty self deprecating. I started to follow him on Twitter and he mentioned that he has written some books about his adventures. Being a bit bored I decided to buy one of them on my Kindle and see what it was like.

 

At the start of the book Conway admits that he wrote, edited and proof-read the book himself and this worried me a little. Some self-edited books in the Kindle store that I have read previously have been full of spelling mistakes and badly in need of an editor. This book does not fall into that category, its well written and there were no spelling errors that I noticed. The included pictures didn't really display correctly due to the text size I select on my Kindle but tapping them displayed them full page just fine. Conway doesn't really delve into the nitty gritty of equipment etc and instead presents his thoughts and experiences along the way. This suits his manner and the book perfectly and he explains that the book is written from a journal he kept along the way.

 

At appropriate times he dips into his life growing up and his life away from the adventure. These instances compliment the book instead of detract from it and they go someway to explain why he is the way he is. There are no huge revelations or eureka moments, it is just a well written honest account of an adventure. I really enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting, my only reservation is that at £5.99 it was a bit pricey. In hindsight, I should have subscribed to Kindle Unlimited because it is one of the books available.

 

5/5 (It was amazing).

[Brian.]

Beach Boy by Ardashir Vakil



Synopsis
In this remarkable first novel, eight-year-old Cyrus Readymoney introduces us to his magical universe of movies and mischief; tennis tournaments and truant afternoons; sex and samosas; the sea and the shore. Exploring Bombay in the early 1970s, Cyrus strays from his mostly absent parents, members of the Parsi elite, into the complex world of his neighbors, including a mysterious maharani and her seductive adopted daughter. In his travels, he experiences the splendor of Hindi films and delights in all manner of mouthwatering food. But in the course of his wanderings, Cyrus finds himself caught between the innocence and insouciance of his youth and the responsibility and worry that await him in adulthood. When his parents' marriage falls apart and his family is shattered, Cyrus is forced out of his carefree existence into a more severe reality. With an acute ear for the nuances of Indian English and a comic appreciation of a boy's life, Ardashir Vakil creates an extraordinarily vivid tableau of India while at the same time drawing a rich portrait of adolescence and its appetites. "Beach Boy" is, as John Updike notes, 'a long ode to boyish hunger, and to the rich variety of stuffs that hold it at bay.' The winner of a Betty Trask award and a finalist for the Whitbread Prize for first fiction in England, "Beach Boy" has been heralded by American, British, and Indian critics alike for riding the crest of a new wave of Indian fiction that is bringing us fresh voices and novel writing.
(taken from Goodreads)


My Thoughts

I decided to tackle some more of the books on my bookshelf TBR rather than books from other sources for my next read. I was at a bit of a loss as to what to pick next so I decided to give the first book on the top shelf a go. After moving a stuffed toy that was in the way I was faced with Beach Boy by Ardashir Vakil. At first I thought that this was a book I found on an aircraft quite a few years ago but on closer inspection it has an Oxfam shop sticker on it so I must have purchased it at some point. Regardless, I sat down with this book knowing nothing at all about it and hoping I had found a gem.

 

The book is written from the point of view of a young Parsi boy, about 8 or 9 called Cyrus Readymoney and it is set in 1970's Bombay. Cyrus is a very independent boy from quite a rich family and he tends to spend a lot of time away from his parents. Late at night he is often still round his friend's houses and he bunks off school to partake in his hobby, watching movies. The parents of his friends tolerate him in varying degrees but they all give the feeling that they think he is a bit of a bad influence. Cyrus doesn't come across as a bad lad, he's a bit of a rascal and is clearly in need of some guidance and discipline.

 

As the book progresses it becomes clear that he is discovering girls and that the relationship between his parents is falling apart. In a lot of ways this does not seem to phase him too much, I guess he is too young to appreciate the gravity of the situation. These changes gain a head of steam until we reach a surprising outcome and his world is changed forever. Everything is described with the innocence of young combined with his cheeky, inquisitive way of looking at life.

 

For a while I wondered if I was going to make it through the book as it seems to spend a long time meandering no-where. In particular, there is a long section of the book describing a tennis match Cyrus has with another young boy during a tournament. This is a game that both he and his mother think he can win but instead of building to a climax it drones on and on for ages. There is also a huge preoccupation with food and every single chapter mentions food numerous times. At first this was quite charming but after a while it becomes a bit monotonous. If it wasn't for these things I think I would have enjoyed the book more. That's not to say that it's a bad book though, the descriptions of the various cities in India and how they all have their own energy I particularly enjoyed and Cyrus is quite a likeable character.

 

 

2/5 (It was ok).

[Brian.]

The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli



Synopsis
The Prince shocked Europe on publication with its advocacy of ruthless tactics for gaming absolute power and its abandonment of conventional morality. Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527) came to be regarded by some as an agent of the Devil and his name taken for the intriguer 'Machevill' of Jacobean tragedy. For his treatise on statecraft Machiavelli drew upon his own experience of office under the turbulent Florentine republic, rejecting traditional values of political theory and recognising the complicated, transient nature of political life. Concerned not with lofty ideals but with a regime that would last, The Prince has become the bible of realpolitik, and still retains its power to alarm and to instruct.

In this edition Machiavelli's tough-minded and pragmatic Italian is preserved in George Bull's clear, unambiguous translation, while Anthony Grafton's introduction depicts Machiavelli's world of power struggles and intrigue, and discusses his role as a political teacher of Europe.
(taken from Goodreads)


My Thoughts

I found this book a few years ago abandoned and unloved on a train and the blurb on the back caught my attention. Being unable to find it's owner I decided to save it from the bin and I took it home. Since then it has sat on my TBR and although I have been tempted a few times I have always passed it by, until now.

 

This is a very short book but once I had started to read it, it became obvious why it had such an impact when it was written. It is a guide of sorts on how to govern an empire based on the successes and failures of the past and current. There is a lot of history in the book covering mainly Italian (Roman) leaders but also covering influential leaders from countries such as Spain and Asia. Everything that is covered and suggested by Machiavelli seems common sense now but I imagine that people felt as though they were being dictated to by someone of lower status than them and that this caused issues. The translation is good and while it retains it's instructional tone it is very readable and easy to follow. The edition I read also included an introduction containing some of the history of the book and an explanation of the people mentioned throughout the book and their particular histories.

 

This was a good albeit short read.

 

3/5 (I liked it).

[Brian.]

3 books behind in my reviews, hopefully I'll manage to get them done in the next few days.

• The Road - Cormac McCarthy
• On Chesil Beach - Ian McEwan
• Pathfinder - David Blakeley

I will be starting a book which has sat on my TBR for a while, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.

[frankie]

I will be starting a book which has sat on my TBR for a while, The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.

 

Oh boy!! I really hope you enjoy this one! It's in my top ten of books, ever I saw on Goodreads that you didn't rate The Road very highly... Looking forward to reading your review! 

[Athena]

I hope you enjoy The Art of Racing in the Rain, I really enjoyed it when I read it .

[bobblybear]

I loved The Art of Racing in the Rain, but then again I'm very much a dog-person. Not sure if you are, but I still hope you enjoy it anyway.

[Brian.]

Oh boy!! I really hope you enjoy this one! It's in my top ten of books, ever I saw on Goodreads that you didn't rate The Road very highly... Looking forward to reading your review! 

 

 

I hope you enjoy The Art of Racing in the Rain, I really enjoyed it when I read it .

 

 

I loved The Art of Racing in the Rain, but then again I'm very much a dog-person. Not sure if you are, but I still hope you enjoy it anyway.

 

I finished it this morning and I loved it, a review will follow once I have caught up with the others I need to do.

[frankie]

Hurraaaaah!!!

[Brian.]

The Road by Cormac McCarthy



Synopsis
A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.
(taken from Goodreads)


My Thoughts

I own two McCarthy books, The Road and Blood Meridian. I decided that it was the right time to read one of them and I chose to go with The Road. I saw the movie when it first came out so I sort of knew what I was getting into before starting but I had heard a lot of good things about the book so I couldn't wait to get started.

 

The story is set in a post apocalyptic America which has been utterly destroyed. By what, we never find out but something massive has happened and our story focuses on a father and son making their way across the country. They rarely meet anyone along the way but those that they do meet are usually dangerous and only out for themselves. There is little in the way of character development and from memory we don't even learn the names of anyone. I found this a little hard to get on with but I assume this was done on purpose as it adds to the whole atmosphere of the book.

 

It's the atmosphere where the book really shines, everything feels gray, downbeat and oppressive. I rarely come across anything like this and it really stood out to me. I felt cold reading it and I could really picture what was happening to the characters. I did feel like a distant observer rather than in the thick of it though. The only other book ive read that had a similar feeling to me was Snow by Orhan Pamuk.

 

I found the storyline to be very slow moving, so much so that I found myself getting a little frustrated at times. I wouldn't say that I didn't enjoy the book but I don't think that it was my thing and that hurt my enjoyment of it. I can see why it is so popular and largely praised.

 

2/5 (It was OK).

Edited August 5, 2015 by Brian.

[Brian.]

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan



Synopsis
It is July 1962. Florence is a talented musician who dreams of a career on the concert stage and of the perfect life she will create with Edward, an earnest young history student at University College of London, who unexpectedly wooed and won her heart. Newly married that morning, both virgins, Edward and Florence arrive at a hotel on the Dorset coast. At dinner in their rooms they struggle to suppress their worries about the wedding night to come. Edward, eager for rapture, frets over Florence’s response to his advances and nurses a private fear of failure, while Florence’s anxieties run deeper: she is overcome by sheer disgust at the idea of physical contact, but dreads disappointing her husband when they finally lie down together in the honeymoon suite.
(taken from Goodreads)


My Thoughts

On Chesil Beach has been sitting on my TBR for a long time, probably a few years at least. I only really became aware of it because it regularly appears on lists of "Best Novellas". If I remember correctly it also appears in the "1001" list and presumably numerous others. I had previously read Amsterdam by Ian McEwan but I didn't really got along with it. I didn't want to give up on him, and as this seems to be very popular it seemed an apt place to give McEwan another shot.

 

The book is set in the early 60's and features Edward and Florence who are newly weds on the way from their wedding to the place of their honeymoon, Chesil Beach. They both come from quite different backgrounds, with Edward being from a more working class background. As a result they have different attitudes to sex even though they both have no experience and are virgins. They both worry a lot about what will happen when they consumate the marriage. A long meal ensues which is full of tension and both parties playing for time. I won't go much further as I don't want to spoil the story.

 

After the dramatic event occurs McEwan drops into their backstory and again this was fantastic. There is a really nice quality to this and it is almost fairytale like in places.

 

I found the writing in this book really enjoyable and it really changed my opinion of Ian McEwan. He captures the relationship and the worries of Edward and Florence really well and I now want to read more of his work. I did have one issue with the storyline and it was as follows.

 

 

I found it hard to accept that a couple so in love would end it all following a botched sexual encounter. I can kind of see that they had very different approaches to sex but is still seemed like a huge over-reaction from both of them.

 

 

 

4/5 (I really liked it).

[Brian.]

Pathfinder by David Blakeley



Synopsis
First in—the official motto of one of the British Army's smallest and most secretive units, 16 Air Assault Brigade's Pathfinder Platoon. Unofficially, they are the 'person of dubious parentage' son of the SAS. And like their counterparts in Hereford, the job of the Pathfinders is to operate unseen and undetected deep behind enemy lines. When British forces deployed to Iraq in 2003, Captain David Blakeley was given command of a reconnaissance mission of such critical importance that it could change the course of the war. It's the story of nine men, operating alone and unsupported, 50 miles ahead of a US Recon Marine advance and head straight into a hornets nest, teeming with thousands of heavily-armed enemy forces. This is the first account of that extraordinary mission—abandoned by coalition command, left with no option but to fight their way out of the enemy's backyard. And it provides a gripping insight into the Pathfinders themselves, a shadowy unit, just 45 men strong, that plies its trade from the skies. Trained to parachute in to enemy territory far beyond the forward edge of battle—reefalling from high altitude breathing bottled oxygen and employing the latest skydiving technology—he PF are unique. Because of new rules introduced since the publication of Bravo Two Zero, there have been no first-hand accounts of British Special Forces waging modern-day warfare for nearly a decade. And no member of the Pathfinders has ever told their story before, until now. Pathfinder is the only first-hand account of a UKSF mission to emerge for nearly a generation. And it could be the last.
(taken from Goodreads)


My Thoughts

I picked this up to complete a special offer at a chain bookstore earlier this year. I tend to quite enjoy military memoirs and like to read a few every year. I was aware of the Pathfinders as an entity and I knew a little of their history but I hadn't read about any of their military campaigns. The blurb says this is because they are a relatively small fighting force and changes in publishing military books has made this difficult.

 

David Blakeley was (and perhaps still is, although I doubt it) the second in command of the Pathfinders, the elite fighing arm of the Para's. He says that during the early days of his command things were difficult because a lot of the men looked down on him. There were two primary reasons for this, his lack of pathfinder experience and his age. It would seem that the usual way to leadership in the Pathfinders was by working your way up the ladder whereas he went in earmarked for command. He had his doubts about some of the men he was in charge of and was rightly nervous of going into battle with them.

 

The first chunk of the book covers what happens during HALO (High Altitude, Low Opening) and HAHO (High Altitude, High Opening) parachute jumps. It turns out that they are quite technical activities but that they do have some operational advantages over going in by foot or using vehicles. This part of the book was really good and I looked forward to the part where HALO or HAHO was used in anger against an enemy force. Sadly this doesn't happen, due mainly to politics and lack resources during the second Iraq war. It would seem that this kind of insertion is the main focus of the Pathfinder's training and what they particularly specialise in but since they didn't use it, it felt a little tacked onto the book.

 

Instead the pathfinders push ahead of the US Marine front line by vehicle in an attempt to capture a key airfield deep in Iraqi territory. There are 2 Pathfinder Landrovers with 3 men each and an additional Landrover containing 3 engineers selected to the mission. I thought this was strange mixture and that it would make more sense to have 2 Pathfinders and 1 engineer in each vehicle but what do I know. The intel available to the military from all countries was very poor and as was to be expected, things go wrong and what follows is a fantastic tale of bravery and daring.

 

There are some things which let the book down however. The writing style is bit weak and somethings are repeated over and over again. For example Blakeley keeps reminding the reader that he was second in command of the pathfinders, this gets tedious. He also goes into depth about some strange things such as his watch. I couldn't help but wonder if he was paid to do some kind of product placement on behalf of Bvlgari watches. It's very odd and it stands out a mile. There are some colour pictures in the book but I didn't really feel like they added anything of value.

 

In the end this was a decent read which I enjoyed and I would happily read one of his other books.

 

 

3/5 (I liked it).

[alicedrinkwater]

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

 

 

Synopsis

A father and his son walk alone through burned America. Nothing moves in the ravaged landscape save the ash on the wind. It is cold enough to crack stones, and when the snow falls it is gray. The sky is dark. Their destination is the coast, although they don’t know what, if anything, awaits them there. They have nothing; just a pistol to defend themselves against the lawless bands that stalk the road, the clothes they are wearing, a cart of scavenged food—and each other.

(taken from Goodreads)

 

 

My Thoughts

I own two McCarthy books, The Road and Blood Meridian. I decided that it was the right time to read one of them and I chose to go with The Road. I saw the movie when it first came out so I sort of knew what I was getting into before starting but I had heard a lot of good things about the book so I couldn't wait to get started.

 

The story is set in a post apocalyptic America which has been utterly destroyed. By what, we never find out but something massive has happened and our story focuses on a father and son making their way across the country. They rarely meet anyone along the way but those that they do meet are usually dangerous and only out for themselves. There is little in the way of character development and from memory we don't even learn the names of anyone. I found this a little hard to get on with but I assume this was done on purpose as it adds to the whole atmosphere of the book.

 

It's the atmosphere where the book really shines, everything feels gray, downbeat and oppressive. I rarely come across anything like this and it really stood out to me. I felt cold reading it and I could really picture what was happening to the characters. I did feel like a distant observer rather than in the thick of it though. The only other book ive read that had a similar feeling to me was Snow by Orhan Pamuk.

 

I found the storyline to be very slow moving, so much so that I found myself getting a little frustrated at times. I wouldn't say that I didn't enjoy the book but I don't think that it was my thing and that hurt my enjoyment of it. I can see why it is so popular and largely praised.

 

2/5 (It was OK).

I didn't care that much for The Road, either. I'm glad I'm not the only one.

[bobblybear]

I don't think I finished The Road. I loved the concept but struggled with how it was written. Nice reviews, too.

[Brian.]

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein



Synopsis
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.
(taken from Goodreads)


My Thoughts

This book has been on my TBR for a little while now. I'm not too sure when I bought it but I think it must have been sometime around christmas of last year. I bought it entirely based on the positive reviews it gained from the members of this forum. I became aware that it was a popular book but decided not too read the reviews too closely as I didn't want to spoil the book for myself. As a result I went into the book know the title and that it heavily features a dog but nothing else aside from that.

 

After a few pages it became evident that the narrator of the book is a dog called Enzo. That's right, a dog. This sounds pretty ludicrous but it somehow works and works very well actually. We start at the end of the story, jump back in time to cover what happened and eventually end up at the conclusion. I really liked this approach as it meant that I already had an insight as to what was going on right from the start instead of having to work it out as I went along.

 

Enzo and his owner Denny are big motor racing fans and watch races together on the TV. Denny is such a big motor racing fan that he is a racer himself and is trying to get enough money together to compete. The idea being that if he performs well enough he may get spotted by someone and be paid to drive professionally. Denny is a good racing driver but he has one talent which makes him stand out above the rest of the drivers, he can drive fantastically well in wet weather, much like Michael Schumacher. Of course life is never that straight forward and there are loads of obstacles along the way which Enzo, Denny and the rest of the family must fight through together.

 

The writing is really good and I finished the book in two sittings. It would have been one sitting but alas, I need to sleep between work shifts. I found it very easy to get through and I really didn't want to put it down. I am a dog lover and throughout my childhood I had a Labrador called Rowan. This really helped me to connect with Enzo and at times I really felt as though Enzo was telling the story of all dogs. It's difficult to put into words but if you have had a dog you will know that they all have an individual character and Stein captures this fantastically.

 

Now for some parts that may be spoilers.

 

 

I have never cried when reading a book, for some reason I still manage to maintain a distance when reading, even if I love the book. However, in the final pages of this book I had to take 10 minutes because I could feel myself starting to well up a bit. At home this wouldn't have been an issue and I would have cried away but I was at work and that would have looked odd   It brought back so many memories of my dog and how heartbroken I was when he died. Like Enzo, he was really protective of the children in our family and we all came to rely on him at some point when we were upset.

 

I'm not 100% convinced that using motor racing as a metaphor for life really worked but as an addition to the story I think it worked really well. The death and legal battle were well handled. I did consider that perhaps it was a bit far fetched but these things do happen and I would guess are becoming more and more common. Everything all tied together in the final battle really well and I think the story had the right amount of strands without it becoming too over complicated.

 

 

I really loved this book, it has been the best book I have read this year by some margin. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed it otherwise I may never have heard of it.

 

5/5 (It was amazing).

[Nollaig]

I'm really glad you enjoyed that book, I don't remember it very well now but I know I loved it when I read it

[Alexi]

I must read this soon!

 

What I find interesting is on this forum we all read a lot of different genres and styles yet this seems to cross over and everyone loves it. Great review Brian.

[Athena]

Great review! I'm so glad you enjoyed this book . It was one of my favourite books I read in 2014.