The Dogs of Babel, Carolyn Parkhurst

I think I may need to add a new category to Unfavorablepink: books you shouldn't read while your spouse is out of town. "The Dogs of Babel" tells the story of Paul Iverson, whose wife Lexy Ransome (what a name!), is killed when she falls out of the apple tree in their back yard. Paul goes into an understandable tailspin trying to understand Lexy's death -- and life, as he finds "incongruities" around the house. Why did Lexy rearrange all the books in the house the day she died? Why was she climbing the apple tree, anyway? Paul eventually fixates on their dog, Lorelei, who was with Lexy that afternoon. If Lorelei could talk, could she explain why Lexy climbed the tree? Could she tell Paul whether Lexy committed suicide or just fell? Paul takes a sabbatical from his university professorship to teach Lorelei to talk. Things get a little bizarre from there. Parkhurst's book is sad and a little crazy, and it feels much too real when read late at night in a quiet house when your husband is 6000 miles away.
Posted by supersusie at March 2, 2004 11:50 PM