How Evan broke his head and other secrets,

Narrated from the perspective of an observant, philosophical golden retriever named Enzo, the 2008 bestseller The Art of Racing in the Rain established a unique approach to contemporary family drama through animal narration and high-stakes racing metaphors. Author Garth Stein created a memorable literary voice that spent more than three years on the New York Times bestseller list, sold millions of copies internationally, and reached broader audiences through a 2019 feature film adaptation.

Career & Background

Born in Los Angeles in 1964 and raised in Seattle, Stein earned both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Columbia University. His early career spanned documentary filmmaking, playwriting, and teaching before he transitioned into full-time fiction writing. His debut novel, Raven Stole the Moon, introduced his focus on Northwest settings, followed by How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets, which earned a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Book Award. Stein later achieved massive global reach with The Art of Racing in the Rain, which was translated into dozens of languages and adapted for younger readers, the stage, and cinema. Expanding his creative scope, he cofounded the regional nonprofit collective Seattle7Writers to support Northwest literature and teamed up with illustrator Matthew Southworth to co-create the graphic novel series The Cloven.

Writing Style & Themes

Stein is recognized for blending grounded human relationships with inventive narrative perspectives, intricate family histories, and atmospheric Pacific Northwest backdrops. His narratives often center on resilience, mortality, parenthood, and unexpected personal redemption, drawing heavily upon localized geography from Puget Sound timber estates to regional racing tracks. Whether framing a narrative around the insights of a canine protagonist or exploring multi-generational family secrets in A Sudden Light, his work balances emotional warmth with precise structural plotting and realistic dialogue.

Major Works

• The Art of Racing in the Rain — Narrated by Enzo, a wise dog belonging to race car driver Denny Swift, this contemporary novel explores devotion, grief, and perseverance. Spending over 156 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, it was translated into 38 languages and adapted into a major 2019 feature film starring Milo Ventimiglia and Kevin Costner.
• How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets — This award-winning novel centers on a single father navigating sudden parental responsibilities and personal health crises, winning a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Book Award for its poignant exploration of family bonds.
• A Sudden Light — Originating from a 2005 stage play written by Stein, this 2014 novel set near Puget Sound follows a young boy discovering long-buried family secrets and historical conflicts inside a grand timber mansion.
• The Cloven — Created in collaboration with illustrator Matthew Southworth, this three-part graphic novel series presents an action-packed coming-of-age story about a genetically modified human-goat hybrid navigating a speculative Pacific Northwest landscape.