Two book recommendations

Last month, my Relief Society book group read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. The story is told through letters between characters, but the book is structured so the interactions and dates are clear: after the first few letters, I easily understood the format and the characters. It takes place on the island of Guernsey, which is located in the English Channel, closer to France than England, but under the governance of the British crown. During World War II, the island was captured and occupied by the Nazis for nearly the duration of the duration of the war. Just before the island was captured, many of the local children were evacuated to England, a scene which is heart-wrenchingly portrayed in the book.

I don't want to give away the story--and I don't think this background does--since reading it fresh was part of the joy of the book to me. And the book was a joy to read, despite its very heavy theme of World War II. The story is honest about the tragedies of war, but it doesn't wallow in those tragedies. Instead, it seems to suggest the only way to live through tragedies is to embrace them and to embrace life at the same time. Recognize the bad, and still choose to see the good, the beautiful, the funny, and the precious.

I've mentioned before that I enjoy books that raise questions to ponder. This is not one of those books. Instead, this book is more like a deliciously ripe peach, self-contained and best consumed completely. That at the end, we can still have the story to share, is just a bonus.
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I can't remember the first place I heard about The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. I know it is one of the options for the Real Simple No Obligation Book Club for November. Wherever I first heard about it, I was mildly intrigued by the premise--the book is narrated by a dog--but didn't think I would find it interesting. It must have crossed my radar again, because when I saw the paperback version at Costco this week, I brought it home along with my vat of chicken soup (delicious!) and my fresh-made naan (what's your favorite at-home Indian recipe?).

The book, as I mentioned, is narrated by a dog who belongs to a twenty-something aspiring race car driver. But this dog, Enzo, is a philosopher, educated on PBS and Discovery, who believes in reincarnation, and that the next step for his soul is to become a man. In retelling his life, Enzo is honest about his strengths and weaknesses, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of those he loves. Driving is his metaphore for life; dealing with life's complications and tragedies is akin to being able to drive when the road conditions are less-than ideal, or the art of racing in the rain.

This is a book that raises questions to ponder: how do I handle complications and tragedies in my life? What does it mean to be alive and to be human? What are my responsibilities to my family and myself? What are my dreams, and what am I doing to accomplish them?

For me, The Art of Racing in the Rain is like a late-night conversations with college roommates--the serious ones where life and plans are honestly shared and discussed. It made me think and made me resolve to think more, do more, be more, and live my life more.