Throwback Thursday: May 2008

In May of 2008 I was beginning to feel more comfortable in becoming a book blogger/reviewer and I was feeling more at ease expressing my opinions. Writing my thoughts and points of view down for the world to see was a huge step in coming out of my shell and not being so reserved with my thoughts. Previously, I tended to not speak out as much and let others do it for me. I never realized until I started thinking about this post but this blog has had a big impact on me in that regard.

The books that I reviewed in May of my first blogging year were all very different from each other. There was a mix of non-fiction, historical Southern fiction and contemporary fiction.  When I was writing my review for Joan Didion's THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING I remember being uneasy about it because I really didn't like the book. I know many people loved that book, but I just didn't. It was the first time that I felt such a strong negative opinion.  Nervously, I posted my thoughts and . . . the world didn't end. Everyone has an opinion and that is the beauty of these book blogs so many of us dedicate so much of ourselves to. We don't all have to have the same opinion or like the same books. There is no right answer.

I also read and reviewed Sue Monk Kidd's THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES. I immediately fell in love with that book and wondered why it took me so long to read it. But the book that really stood out was THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein. There was a lot of hype about this book and when I read it I totally got why. This book touched my heart, made me smile and made me cry. A friend recently mentioned to me that she was thinking about reading this book over her summer break and I instantly got a warm feeling all over. That's what this book does. What made it extra special was that after posting my review I received a very sweet email from Garth Stein thanking me for sharing my thoughts. That was the first time I'd been contacted by an author directly and it was a great feeling.

This is only my second Throwback Thursday post here on the blog and I gotta tell you, I'm liking it a lot. Taking the time each month to reminisce about my first year of blogging and where it all started has been eye-opening and insightful. I hope you enjoy it as well. Thanks for stopping by. I'll be back with another Throwback Thursday post next month.

Book Bloggin' & Garth Stein

Something really cool happened to me this evening and I just had to share my excitement. Last month I read a great book that I've been telling everyone who will listen about. It was THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein. (You can read my review here.) It's a wonderfully written story about a family, narrated by Enzo, the family dog, whose love for his master, Denny is imeasurable. I absolutely loved this book! There's not many books told from the prospective of mans best friend with the honesty and warmth that this book has. It's one of the best books I've read in quite some time. I've been watching it hover on the New York Times best seller list for the past few weeks hoping it'll break into the top 10. (It's at 15 right now.) Anyway, a few weeks ago there was a comment left here on my blog from the Marketing Director at Folio Literary Management. She indicated that she works with Garth Stein. She wanted me to know she saw my review and had forwarded it on to Mr. Stein. I was so excited! Well . . . imagine my surprise today when I actually got an email from Garth Stein!! He simply wanted to say he was happy I liked the book so much and that he visited my blog and he appreciated my post about it on my blog. He was so nice! I know it may not be a big deal to some, and I realize I'm such a book-geek, but that little email made my day!!

This is just another reason I enjoy book blogging so much. Not only do I read some really great books and meet some wonderful people who do the same thing I do, but sometimes you get an added bonus of one of the authors you really like acknowledging you. I never realized before starting my blog in January that authors were so approachable. I think that is a really cool thing. A few weeks ago, Meg Waite Clayton, author of THE WEDNESDAY SISTERS stopped by my blog and at first I didn't even realize who it was!! I felt so silly when I put it together! I'm a little slow sometimes!

Due to some circumstances in my life, I spend a lot of time at home and having my books, the internet and the blogging friends I've made helps to keep my world from being so small. I really enjoy all of the blogs I read daily and am always anxious for the next great read to come along.

Book Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain

Let me start by saying you don't have to like racing to enjoy this book. The ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN by Garth Stein is not all about racing, although there are parts that do talk about racing, but in the way a racer thinks.

This is a story about a dog and his family. His master, Denny is a Formula One race car driver (not a NASCAR driver as some presume) and Enzo, our canine narrator, does love racing, but he loves his Denny much more. I didn't know what to expect from this book. I heard about all the hype, but I guess I just didn't expect such a loving story, especially told by a dog. Having the narrator be a dog gave the story such an innocent and honest interpretation of how humans handle and react to certain situations. I'll tell you this: I'll never look at a dog the same again.

If you are lucky enough to have had a great dog, like I was, I think you'd appreciate this book even more. I lost my dear Mandy, an Australian Sheppard/Chow mix 2 years ago to old age. This book brought to the surface all the emotions and feelings I had for her. All I can say is if you are a dog lover, you will appreciate and love this book. Even if you aren't a lover of dogs, its still a great story about a family.

Sometimes when I've heard alot about a book, I tend to expect too much from it and get disappointed. Not in this case. I really loved this book. Garth Stein has a winner here.