The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

By: Mark Haddon

Narrated by: Jeff Woodman

Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins

Publisher's summary

Fifteen-year-old Christopher Boone has Asperger's Syndrome, a condition similar to autism. He doesn't like to be touched or meet new people, he cannot make small talk, and he hates the colors brown and yellow. He is a math whiz with a very logical brain who loves solving puzzles that have definite answers.

One night, he observes that the neighbor's dog has been killed, since it is not moving and has a large garden fork stuck in its body. Christopher knows this is wrong. He has never left his street on his own before, but now he'll have to in order to find out who killed the dog. What he discovers will shake the very foundation of his perfectly ordered life.

Critically acclaimed author Mark Haddon, a two-time BAFTA winner, crafts a stunning masterpiece that is funny, honest, and incredibly moving.

©2003 Mark Haddon (P)2003 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

• Alex Award Winner, 2004

"The novel brims with touching, ironic humor. The result is an eye-opening work in a unique and compelling literary voice." (Publishers Weekly)
"Fresh and inventive." (Booklist)
"Smart, honest and wrenching....Will quickly hook you in." (San Francisco Chronicle)
"Gloriously eccentric and wonderfully intelligent." (The Boston Globe)

Insightful

This was magnificent to listen to as an audio book, I completed it in 2 days because I couldn't stop listening! Very insightful novel into the mind of an autistic child.

Loved it

As more people are born with some type of autism, this book looks into the thinking of someone with asperger's syndrome. What a delight.

Troubled child provides insight nonetheless

First: the beginning chapter is titled Chapter 2. This freaked me out and confused me - I thought I was missing part of the file. It turns out, Christopher is narrating the story and he prefers prime numbers, so each chapter is a sequential prime number.
The book never actually names Christopher's "condition" but he goes to a "special" school and has issues with nuance as well as OCD-like qualities. I think his diagnosis is probably similar to Asperger's (he continually reminds himself of how he is "supposed" to react to people even though it is not instinctive), but I am no expert on that.
I had recently listened to Flowers for Algernon, so I saw a lot of parallels; Christopher even has a pet rat. And both novels reveal that a simple perspective on even mundane day-to-day life can be surprisingly profound.
Christopher's relationship with his family is the heart of the novel. Christopher does not understand the extent of his parent's emotions and reactions, but the reader does, which makes it that much more impacting.

The World Through Christopher's Heart

You will become Christopher. You will hear what he hears, feel what he feels, and want to scream when he screams. You'll even bask in his macabre joys.

Perspective

It is refreshing and eye opening to have this story told from the perspective of a boy who has a disability.

excelente, insightful, and very well read.

this is a great book, it gives a great insight into the mind of the Asperger / autistic.

Captivating and touching

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The perspective of the autistic narrator was captivating- though rigid and unfeeling, Christopher was still a very likeable character. The story was heartbreaking and so plausible. It really illustrated both the challenges and rewards of raising a differently-abled child and why the instinct to protect them can be so fierce. The conflicts in the story brought me to tears a few times as well. Great listen!
The audible reader was also fantastic!

Outstanding

I saw the play recently and was blowed away! So I thought I would listen to the book as well and it was equally awesome. Cleaver writing and great narration. If you liked the story I would highly recommend seeing the play!

Compelling ...

... and simultaneously disturbing. The ‘inside the mind’ presentation of a boy with asperger’s syndrome was very effectively done. Both the writing and the narration were very well done. The helplessness that confronts those who have a child or loved one afflicted with this disease made it a difficult listen. I recommend listening to this book for the necessary education if not for the entertainment.

Loved it!

When I purchased this book I had no clue what it was about...just chose it off the best seller list b/c I was intrigued by the title! A good story and even better to listen to. The story itself was wonderful - I had much sympath for all of the characters. My son has some of the same issues as the character, so I completely understand the mother's frustration. I also am more sympathetic to the the child's thought process as well. It is a quick listen and you can't go wrong. Enjoy!