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)

Autism Window

This is a great window into autism. It is in his voice so we learn what a person with autism possibly goes through.

One of our Audible Essentials

In this fascinating look into a unique mind, Jeff Woodman becomes Christopher Boone, a 15-year-old with Asperger's Syndrome. Never before have I felt so much like I was experiencing the world from someone else's perspective. Christopher's frustrations, social anxieties, and logic felt like my own in this powerful performance.

Up there with Life of Pi

If you like Life of Pi, you'll probably like this one. Like LoP, its a story told through the eyes of a young boy. (It is also narrated by the same narrator).

I'm not much of a reviewer, but I really enjoyed it and I highly recommend it for your next book selection!

Quirky, Humorous Inquest from Young Boy's POV

In a small English town, our young hero embarks on a quest to uncover who murdered Mrs. Wellington's dog with a garden fork. Christopher lives with his dad; believes his mum is deceased; has a pet rat; and possibly falls on the Autism spectrum disorder. Since the diagnosis is never mentioned, I assume he is a highly functioning boy with Asperger's.

This book does not focus on nor preach about disabilities. It provides a framework to understand the first person narration moving through daily interactions with family, teachers, and the occasional policeman. He speaks in an uninterrupted stream of consciousness and the humor comes across in a straightforward manner. The chuckles are never at the expense of this boy's condition.

Delightfully quirky story. The answer is not found in the killer's unveiling, but in the rich tapestry created through Christopher finding meaning in his orderly fashion of dealing with family crises seeking a positive resolution.

If you enjoy this one, check out "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close".

Should be r'qd reading for teachers

Where does The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very high

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

Surprised that I became so involved in it. Slow start and then very good details.

What about Jeff Woodman’s performance did you like?

He was constantly in character of teen boy and did it well-- no catering.

If you could take any character from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time out to dinner, who would it be and why?

The mother.

Would have been a 5 but for.......

Where does The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Not on the same level. It is in class of it's own. I mean that in the best way.

What did you like best about this story?

The insight of children living with AS

Have you listened to any of Jeff Woodman’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

If you could rename The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, what would you call it?

Unconventional Wisdom

Any additional comments?

The author is a self proclaimed Atheist. That's fine. What isn't fine is him using this book to promote his Atheist beliefs on readers.

great story from perspective of the autistic mind

As the parent of an autistic child, this book had been recommended to me for its ability to help others get a glimpse how my daughter's mind operates. Boy did it deliver.

the story is entertaining as it follows some ordinary events but from the perspective of a boy living with a form of Autism. hearin what he is thinking during routine encounters, lends to some pretty funny moments. The story attempts to pull on your heart strings, be adventurous and cause you to examine the wonder that exists in ordinary moments that we may overlook.

Interesting And Insightful

This book was a little difficult to get into at first, but fairly soon you're hooked. I really enjoyed the narration of the material, but mostly I was moved by the altered perspective it provides. An amazing glimpse into the thoughts of someone with thinking patterns that are unique and out of the main stream.

Loved the book in text AND audio...

This is a simply wonderful story, funny and heartbreaking by turns - and the audio version is just lovely. I've added reader Jeff Woodman to my list of "people to listen to"; he does a splendid job (and I was astonished to find that he's not really a 16-year-old boy {grin}). Strongly recommended.

Really fascinating!

I was intrigued by the synopsis and the sale price. I feel like I found a treasure in the sale bin. Both the narrator and the plot drew me into the story. Drama, mystery, humor, familial relationships, this book has a touch of everything that makes a book good. There were a couple of editing noticeable editing mishaps, especially Ch 5 around the 15:30 min mark. Hence only 4 stars on narration but overall a very enjoyable book. It’s definitely worth a credit.