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Search - The Dogs of Babel
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Book 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.Members who requested this book also requested:
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Genres:Other Versions of this Book: Hardcover, Hardcover, Audio Cassette (Unabridged)
Top Member Reviews
Leigh P. (
9 member(s) found this review helpful.
Despite the downright craziness of the plot, this is a touching an emotionally moving puzzle of a story. I would say that the central motif weaving through the story is language - the language barrier between owner and dog, the unspoken language between husband and wife that harbors secrets, the language spoken in our subconscious that somehow television psychics become attuned to, and the wife's poetic language that works itself from a penultimate, odd act into a real clue into her psyche.
If you're intrigued, give this book some time. You won't need much, as it's a relatively fast read.
8 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is an eerie, lovely, scary book all at once. This story will warm and scare one with the power of grief and what a human can do to ruin themselves and others.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
This story was about a woman who suffered from mental illness. I found the book very depressing. It was about her husband's search into the cause of her death and the circumstances surrounding it.
6 member(s) found this review helpful.
Obviously I'm a minority of one. I hated this book, and I find it amazing that others are recommending it for dog lovers. How maiming and torturing a dog to satisfy one's own self obsession makes it a "touching love story" is beyond me. (And just as a side note, you must have language first in order to form and retrieve memories.)
5 member(s) found this review helpful.
A beautiful read. By the time I had finished the first page I knew I was going to need to finish the book in one sitting. The characters are carefully developed and the story spins back and forth from the present to the past to slowly spiral to its inevitable conclusion. This is one of those stories that's going to live in my brain forever. If you liked The Time Traveler's Wife, you'll like this one.
Stephanie F. from NORTHRIDGE, CA wrote on 3/16/2007...
4 member(s) found this review helpful.
Although the premise is undoubtedly intriguing, I couldn't bring myself to finish this novel. It just didn't really hold any interest for me.
Phillip A. from EWING, NJ wrote on 4/23/2007...
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
Very intersting book, was handed to me by anonymous person, and turned out to be a very very great find.
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
A bit sad, but well written. I enjoyed it.
Sherrie F. (
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is a very intresting, emotional read that will stay with you well after you've turned the last page. I really enjoyed it!
2 member(s) found this review helpful.
This is one of the most unusual and memorable books I have ever read. A man's wife is dead, having fallen out of a tree. Did she fall or did she jump? The only witness was her dog. The grieving widower sets out to see if he can't teach the dog to communicate with him, to tell him. Very, very likeable characters. Great read.
Rate These Member Reviews
I loved this book! It was very sad but I couldn't put it down. I really needed to knwo what happen to his wife. Only the dog was witness and its not talking!
This was an excellent read! A strange, unique, and poignant work of fiction but very believably real. I can certainly understand why it was a National Bestseller!
I really couldn't get into this book. I tried three different times.
Diane O. from RICHARDSON, TX wrote on 3/21/2007...Interesting book.
Karen M. from PALMYRA, VA wrote on 2/25/2007...A really surprising story that touches upon love, grief, marriage and mystery.
This was a great book, especially for dog lovers. I love dogs and I really enjoyed this book.
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?
I enjoyed this book very much. I recommend reading it!!!
Anne F. from EL CAJON, CA wrote on 9/4/2006...A heartwarming tale of a man's quest to use the only witness (his dog) to his wife's death to solve the mystery and bring him closure. It's both touching and funny.
Kelly F. from SEATTLE, WA wrote on 8/10/2006...I loved this book. A nice summertime read!