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The Dogs of Babel (Unabridged)The Dogs of Babel (Unabridged)Carolyn Parkhurst
 

The Dogs of Babel (Unabridged)

by Carolyn Parkhurst

The quirky premise of Carolyn Parkhurst's debut novel, The Dogs of Babel, is original enough: after his wife Lexy dies after falling from a tree, linguistics professor Paul Iverson becomes obsessed with teaching their dog, a Rhodesian Ridgeback named Lorelei (the sole witness to the tragedy), to speak so he can find out the truth about Lexy's death--was it accidental or did Lexy commit suicide?... (read more)

Top tags: fiction,  contemporary fiction,  mystery,  dogs,  grief (all tags)

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Other Reviews

Amazon Reviews (5)
 

Most Helpful Reviews

Liked It

Debbie L
  • Rated 5 stars

“I really liked this author's style of writing as well as the unusual plot line. I could not put the book down.”

Debbie L’s full review »
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Didn’t Like It

Sara M
  • Rated 1 stars

“I honestly only finished this because I have never left a book half-read and didn't want to start. The book was ridiculous. The book talks about the torture of dogs to make them try to speak like people. As a dog lover, this didn't sit well with me. I understand the character's desire to know his wife's last moments, but at what cost? I would never recommend this...”

Sara M’s full review »
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Community:
  • Rated 3.730849 stars
Amazon:
  • Rated 3.5 stars
  

Newest Comments

  • Molly J

    molly j said:

    “I got into Parkhurst via Lost and Found, and because I loved that, I decided to read this one. It's an amazing, albeit depressing tale about a man struck by grief for his eccentric and temperamental wife. The overall theme of the book is similar to that of the Miracle Worker: communication. This book demonstrates just how far a man will go to cling on to the women he loves. I like how this book is so realistic--all the characters have flaws, and the main character is even a little bit insane. Very well-written all the way through. Admittedly, I really want to see a picture of Dog J.”

    posted Thursday, May 1 2008
  • Scionisce

    scionisce said:

    “I think that one cannot read this for the sheer fact that it may seem to be about dogs.. Parkhurst did a wonderful job keeping this as she intended it to be- a mystery novel. I believe that even throughout the disturbing scenes of almost science-fiction-like experimentation on dogs, the author keeps the story compelling and engaging. In my opinion, the emotions of the characters lead this story, not the side-story of Lorelei and her endangerment by a group of fanatics. I think this book is a masterpiece and should be in every library.”

    posted Monday, April 21 2008
  • Bette L

    bette l said:

    “This was a stunning book in its portrayal of grief, but then it fell apart and what happened to the dogs was disgusting.”

    posted Friday, January 25 2008
  • Coyotemusic

    coyotemusic said:

    “Oh my goodness. I absolutely loved this book. I guess I was able to put the dog stuff out of my head, and relish the human aspect of the book. It's one of the best books I've read in a long time. ”

    posted Wednesday, April 25 2007
  • sumshay

    sumshay said:

    “I love dogs, and I admit that the thought of such inhumane practices made me sick to my stomach. But my love of dogs also helped me to fathom Paul's desire to communicate with Lorelei, however farfetched. I think if you finish it, you will be happy with the ending. A husband's love and desire to seek the answer that he knows, but is unwilling to admit in his grief.”

    posted Monday, April 23 2007
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