The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein - Since the adaptation of this book is what nudged me to write this post, might as well start with this one. That and the fact that I LOVED this book so much. I read it all the way back in 2011 - it was on my 2011 ten favorites list. Yet 8 and a half years later it is still so vivid in my mind. I also still vividly remember sobbing while I read the end - but in a good way. Enzo, the dog who narrates the book, is just such a real and soulful presence.
A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron - This book is also from the perspective of a dog, and also was on my 2011 ten favorites list! It sounds so cheesy but in this one the dog narrator reincarnates in a different body each time he dies, and I sobbed every time. I never saw the movie, but I did tear up every time I saw the trailer for this and/or the sequel I haven't read. I liked this book just a scootch less than "The Art of Racing in the Rain," but both are definitely must reads if you are a dog lover.
Unsaid by Neil Abramson - This book was on my 2013 10 favorites list. This one is actually told from a human POV as opposed to an animal, but very thought provoking. It's narrated by a veterinarian who has just died of cancer, as she observes her grieving lawyer husband, their animals, and various other people and animals which were in her orbit, including a chimpanzee who has been taught sign language.
Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley - This book is set in the world of horse racing, told from the perspectives of several people, as well as a horse and a dog. Having read this book 18 years ago I must admit that the most memorable thing about this book to me is not anything about the plot but rather that I read it on my honeymoon. But I liked it enough that it made it onto my 2001 ten favorites list.
The Dogs of Babel by Carolyn Parkhurst - This was a pretty sad book that deals with both grief and animals. The wife of the main character dies falling out of a tree, with the only witness being their dog. As part of his grieving, he tries to teach the dog to communicate so he can find out what really happened. This one made my 2004 10 favorites list.
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler - This was a great dysfunctional family book which (like "A Dog's Purpose") I read with my book club. I hesitated to even put it on this list because this is definitely one that is better to read without any spoilers. So I will say no more, other than to go read this book.
The White Bone by Barbara Gowdy - I read this one a REALLY long time ago - almost exactly 20 years. I don't remember the plot, but I do remember how unique it was to read a novel from the perspective of an elephant.
The Bees by Laline Paull - This was a strange and interesting novel told from the perspective of a literal bee in a beehive, who somehow manages to progress from a lowly sanitation worker to numerous other positions in the hive. Quite unique, but also extremely odd and sometimes confusing. But it definitely has stuck with me since reading it a few years ago. In fact, I was just reading a memoir part of which had to do with being a beekeeper, and I kept thinking about this book while reading it.
And of course, I have to give a shout out to some of my childhood favorites, like "Charlotte's Web" and "Black Beauty. Also, given that I am cat person, it seems strange to me that none of these books are about cats. But other than Lillian Jackson Braun's "The Cat Who" mystery series - which I did enjoy very much when I used to read them - I don't feel like cats feature very much in person. Dogs just seem to capture writers' imagination more for some reason.
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