The Dogs of Babel

The Dogs of Babel (2003) by Carolyn Parkhurst. When his wife Lexy falls out of a tree to her death, Paul Iverson is haunted by questions -- above all, was it an accident? Since he is a linguist, perhaps it is not too surprising that he decides to teach the family dog (the only witness to Lexy's death) to talk. But the plot concerning teaching the dog to talk takes a back seat to flashbacks of Paul's relationship with Lexy, from the beginning, when they meet at a garage sale, to the unhappy end. It's an elegiac love story, told with insight and grace. Grade: B