Saturday Samplers Book Group to Discuss "The Art of Racing in the Rain"

Bernardsville Library’s book group, Saturday Samplers, will meet on Saturday, June 6 at 3:30 pm to discuss “The Art of Racing in the Rain” (2008) by Garth Stein. [The author will not be present.]

A heart-wrenching but deeply funny and ultimately uplifting story of family, love, loyalty, and hope, “The Art of Racing in the Rain” is a beautifully crafted and captivating look at the wonders and absurdities of human life...as only a dog could tell it. The book sold more than 4 million copies in 35 languages, and spent more than three years on The New York Times bestseller list. It has inspired a Young Reader edition as well as a children’s picture book adaptation (2014), a stage adaptation by Book-It Repertory Theatre in Seattle, and is currently in development with Universal Studios for a major motion picture.

Born in Los Angeles and raised in Seattle, Mr. Stein then lived in New York City for 18 years before returning to Seattle in 2001 where he still lives with his wife, three sons, and their dog, Comet. Before turning to writing full-time, Mr. Stein was a documentary filmmaker, directing, editing, and/or producing several award-winning films, including “The Lunch Date,” winner of the Academy award for live action short in 1990, and “The Last Party,” starring Robert Downey, Jr. His newest novel is “A Sudden Light,” published by Simon and Schuster in September, 2014. He is also the author of two previous novels: “Raven Stole the Moon” and “How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets.”

Led by Program/PR Assistant Evelyn Fischel, Saturday Samplers is a book discussion group dedicated to sampling various kinds of literature, including short stories, nonfiction, new and old novels, and even teen fiction. Its goal is to search out interesting, noteworthy, and sometimes overlooked books. Readers can find information about the group and about the books and authors on the reading list at http://saturdaysamplers.blogspot.com. No sign-up is needed to join the discussion. Call the library at 766-0118 for more information.