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The Amazon Store at MillionDollarPetPix.com ( In association with Amazon.com )The Dogs of Babel: A Novel List Price: $29.98 Price: $2.85 You Save: $27.13 (90%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Dewey Decimal Number: 813 EAN: 9781586215101 Edition: Unabridged Format: Audiobook, Unabridged ISBN: 1586215108 Label: Hachette Audio Manufacturer: Hachette Audio Number Of Items: 5 Publication Date: June 01, 2003 Publisher: Hachette Audio Studio: Hachette Audio Related Items:
Browse for similar items by category: Click to Display Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: 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? In short, accelerating chapters Parkhurst alternates between Paul's strange and passionate efforts to get Lorelei to communicate and his heartfelt memories of his whirlwind relationship with Lexy. The first 100 pages or so bring to mind another noteworthy debut, Alice Sebold's brilliant exploration of grief, The Lovely Bones. Unfortunately, the second half of The Dogs of Babel takes too many odd twists and turns--everything from a Ms. Cleo-like TV psychic to an underground sect of abusive canine linguists--to ever allow the reader to feel any real sympathy for the main characters. Parkhurst's Paul Iverson can certainly be appealing at times, and his heartbreak is often quite palpable ("...for every dark moment we shared between us, there was a moment of such brightness I almost could not bear to look at it head-on."). But his mask-maker wife Lexy--Paul's driving inspiration--is a character whose spur-of-the-moment outbursts, spontaneous fits of anger, and supposedly charming sense of whimsy (on their first date, they drive from Virginia to Disney World, eating only appetizers and side dishes along the way), become so annoying and grating that it's hard to believe anyone could ever put up with her, let alone teach their dog to speak for her. Despite its cloying tone, The Dogs of Babel marks a notable debut. Parkhurst possesses a wealth of inspired ideas, and no doubt many readers will respond to the book, but one hopes that the author's future efforts will be packed with richer character development and less schmaltz. --Gisele Toueg Product Description: When his wife dies in a fall from a tree in their backyard, linguist Paul Iverson is wild with despair. In the days that follow, Paul becomes certain that Lexy's death was no accident. Strange clues have been left behind: unique, personal messages that only she could have left and that he is determined to decipher. So begins Paul's fantastic and even perilous search for the truth, as he abandons his everyday life to embark on a series of experiments designed to teach his dog Lorelei to communicate. Is this the project of a madman? Or does Lorelei really have something to tell him about the last afternoon of a woman he only thought he knew? At the same time, Paul obsessively recalls the early days of his love for Lexy and the ups and downs of life with the brilliant, sometimes unsettling woman who became his wife. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - derivative and not well characterizedI felt like I was reading a sophomoric version of An Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler. Unfortunately, this book utterly lacked the depth and originality of Accidental Tourist. The protagonist is supposed to be a professor of linguistics who has written multiple textbooks. Nothing in his voice or his understanding of language would suggest that he has even broken open one linguistics text, let alone authored one. The inaccuracies about language acquisition were appalling, the premise was silly, ... Read More Rating:  - wonderful bookI am actually the owner of the original book, i do not know how i ended up with the real manusript set and bound and autographed by the author. this is a wonderful book i believe everyone should read it, i will not give any details of the book away. Rating: - If you like Sad, frothy, beautiful, deep......There are a lot of ways I could describe this book but as I but it back into the bookshelf after I finished I think I muttered the word "incredible" to myself three times. Based on the topic (i do love to read about dogs) but (maybe not about some of the other stuff) i would not normally have chosen this book. It starts quickly, and then build the character background. I am in love with Paul, the character. I read a review that it was hard to believe the storyteller was man, and I can see that, but ... Read More Rating: - ruffStarted great. Professor Husband calls home one afternoon, a cop answers phone - wife is dead she fell out of a tall tree in the backyard only witness is the dog. Was it an accident? Was it suicide? What happened? Great - I was hooked. Then it went slowly downhill with all the flashbacks of their relationship, and fizzled out in the end without even a whimper. 2 stars because I did manage to finish it, just disappointing for this reader. Rating:  - Strange plot, unlikeable characters except for Lorelei.I'm not even sure where to start. This novel had all the makings for an extraordinary read, it just tried to cover too much territory to do any of the characters, or the plot development justice, within a mere 260 pages. We have Paul, the rather boorish linguistics professor, who is madly in love with Lexy. Most likely because she brings some pizazz into his humdrum existence. His desire is for he and Lexy to enjoy their wildish relationship, but to ultimately settle down to family life, ... Read More 
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