Dear Reader

Welcome to BookCrossing if it is your first time here. I am really pleased that you found this book. It is a gift from me to you. If you wish you may hold on to it but I hope that you will pass it on, either to a friend or loved one, or by leaving it to be found again. That way our book will be on an adventurous journey which we can follow as it gets passed along.

In the meantime, did you read the book? What did you think of it? Also, what do you think of the idea of BookCrossing? Feel free to write any thoughts when you come back to make a release note for this book.

While you are here, why not take a look around our website? It is completely free to register and, if you do so, you will receive email alerts when this book is found again. I would be delighted if you wish to mention me, shelj7k, as the member who introduced you.

All best wishes

The captivating and moving story of an extraordinary family, how they almost fell apart and how they were brought back together by the wisest and most loyal member - Enzo the dog.

I enjoyed this book so much I want to share it with as many others as I can and so have reserved it for a bookring. I read the book in just over a day and I loved Enzo and his view on life. I will never wonder what my dogs are thinking in the same way again.

The usual bookring requests stand for this book.

So please...

1. Make a journal entry when you receive the book
2. PM the next on the list to check their current address
3. Read it within 3-4 weeks
4. Let us all know your thoughts
5. ENJOY!!!

Time to send Enzo on an adventure
Mailing order:
1. spoiledrotten (US only) <--- Done
2. hereticcoy (US only) <--- Done
3. NMReader (US only) <--- Done
4. 2of3Rs (US intl) <--- Received a copy of her own
5. AileenAdler (UK intl) <--- Done

Thank you all for taking part in my first Bookring. I hope you enjoy the book. If I've forgotten anything please PM me.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:



Sending to spoiledrotten to begin this bookring

What timing! I just finished my last ring and put it in the mail and when I arrived home this was waiting for me. I love the bookmark and the postcard brought back many nice memories of my trip to Dublin. Will journal again when done. Thanks for including and sending to me.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Book was sent off this morning to hereticcoy to continue on its journey. Enjoy

Really loved this book. Was interesting to read since the story is being told by a dog. Even though there were no surprises to the story line I found it to be well written and enjoyable. The courage and strength of Denny to fight for what is his no matter the cost was truly inspiring. Thanks so much for including me.

Just arrived. Its the next book in my TBR pile.

I'm truly sorry its taken me so long to get to this book. I'm going to start it tonight. I apologize for any inconvenience.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Sorry for the wait NMReader. It's packaged and in the mail box for Tuesdays mail.

I didn't really get into this book. I tried picking it up a few times and couldn't get past the first chapter or so. Nothing against the book, it just didn't hold my attention.

Just back from vacation and had a small mountainn of mail. I will read as quickly as possible

I thought a update might be appreciated. I started it this weekend as part of my readathon books. Hope to finish this week.

A quick update on my status of the book.

I am ready to start reading this book. I plan to start reading right before I go to bed. I hope to complete quickly and get into the mail.

I loved this book!! This book made me laugh and made me cry.

The story is told from Enzo's point of view and while the plot line is predictable the telling from Enzo's point of view perhaps is why that doesn't matter.

Some quotes from the book that I think are worth pondering:

That which we manifest is before us; we are the creators of our own destiny.

From page 160:
To live every day as if it had been stolen from death, that is how I would like to live. To feel the joy of life, as Eve felt the joy of life. To separate oneself from the burden, the angst, the anguish that we all encounter every day. To say I am alive, I am wonderful, I am. I am. That is something to aspire to. When I am a person, that is how I will live my life.

From page 301:
Inside each of us resides the truth...the absolute truth. But sometimes the truth is hidden in the hall of mirrors. Sometimes we believe we are viewing the real thing, when in fact we are viewing a facsimile, a distortion...We...must shatter the mirrors. We must look into ourselves and root out the disortions until that thing which we know in our hearts is perfect and true, stands before us, only then will justice be served.

From page 304:
One can never be angry at another driver for a track incident. One can only be upset at himself for being caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.

From page 314:
We can't have everything we want. Sometimes we simply have to believe.

and from page 314 also:
I know this much about racing in the rain. I know it is about balance. It is about anticipation and patience. I know all of the driving skills that are necessary for one to be successful in the rain. But racing in the rain is also about the mind! It is about owning one's own body. About believing that one's car is merely an extension of one's body. About believing that the track is an extension of the car, and the rain is an extension of the track, and the sky is an extension of the rain. It is about believing that you are not you; you are everything. And everything is you.

My favorite children's story is The Veleveteen Rabbit. Perhaps that is why this story was wonderful in my eyes.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I hope this book is enjoyed as much by the on the list as I enjoyed it.

Customs Form Number: LC222204672US

This book arrived yesterday afternoon - thanks NMReader for sending it my way and shelj7k for starting the ring. Racing in the Rain was recommended by Agrace as a book my (very intelligent) dog Watson would like, so we're looking forward to reading it together.

I enjoyed the various bookmarks and postcards that fell out of this book when I opened it. It's good when a book gathers things on its journey!

A pleasing quick read. The first-person doggy narrator, Enzo, brings an unusual outlook to the story. Enzo believes that he will be a person in his next life. He doesn't always understand what's going on around him, although he desperately wants to.

My dog Watson is less convinced that being a human would be a good thing. I tried to use Enzo's arguments about the advantages of thumbs and speech, but Watson simply rolled his eyes and padded off to his basket.

shelj7k has found another copy of The Art of Racing in the Rain and doesn't want this one back. I'm going to see if there's any interest in continuing the bookray.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I didn't get any takers for this bookray, so The Art of Racing in the Rain is heading off to Charleston as a RABCK for the lovely bookczuk. Hope you enjoy Enzo's story, bookczuk!

This lovely book fetched up here today in the post -- it's one I've been looking forward to reading I first heard of it in June 2008. I saw this book on the shelf of a Starbucks on 5th Avewhen we went to NYC and reading the back cover was enough to make me put it on my wish list. When I finally got it at the library, it was an audio book, but the reader got on my nerves, so I returned it unfinished. But I heard enough to know that I wanted to hear more about Enzo's story. Several other people I know just read this and also loved it. And now, Enzo is out of the dog house into the czuk house. I look forward to reading this sooner rather than later. Thank you so much for the RABCK!

Read this while up in the mountains in the week between Christmas and New Years. It's been a brutal year for me and for my family (the death of our mother, injury of our sister in law in the attack that killed our brother, a successful battle with cancer for another one of us, and attack of the swine flu in the last two weeks of the year for yours truly) and we used the time to heal and reconnect. I wasn't much good for anything, as my lung disease took a definite hit with the flu. So, while everyone else went tromping in the snow and hiking on fabulous mountain trails, I spent my days curled up by the wood stove reading. The Art of Racing in the Rain was one of the books I read.

Enzo is a wise dog -- that he learned of reincarnation and could focus his life on moving toward that goal was wonderful (though I must admit at times I'm not so sure being human is all it's cracked up to be.) Every single quote I marked was one noted by NMReader earlier in the journal, so I won't repeat here.

I'm thinking hazrabai would enjoy this book as she recouperates and gets ready for her next surgery. I will check and see if she's read it. If not, I'll find a way for Enzo and Denny to take the art of racing in the rain to India.

Thank you for sharing this book. It was the perfect read for the perfect time. I, too, am reborn and ready to face 2010 with hope in my heart.

Heard from Hazrabai that she'd like to meet Enzo, and have lined up someone to hand carry the book over to India. It may not be journalled again over there (computer connection time is sometimes iffy -- if a bullock rubs his head on the electrical pole, all bets are off), but there is an avid circle of readers for English books, and I know it will be passed around happily there.

Will make a release note when it actually starts to travel.

Headed to Myrtle Beach with Sheila who will carry it to HAzrabai and her reading circle in Mehaerabad, India in a few weeks. If it gets read a time or two between now and then, so much the better.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

To the finder of this book:

Welcome to BookCrossing, a unique community of book lovers, sharing their libraries with the world. This book is now yours to read, enjoy, keep or pass on to another reader. The BookCrossing ID, which you entered in the "Enter a BCID" box on the website, is unique to this copy of this book. If you make a journal entry (either anonymously, or as a BookCrossing member) all previous readers of this actual book will be notified by email, and can follow the book as it travels. BookCrossing is free to join, completely confidential (you are known only by your screen name and no one is ever given your e-mail address) and a heck of a lot of fun. Be on the lookout for other books left in the "Wild"!