THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME

“Chapter 2,” begins Christopher Boone, the remarkable protagonist of Mark Haddon’s remarkable novel. Christopher has Asperger’s syndrome, a version of autism. He doesn’t like to be touched, understands only two emotions, speaks the literal truth, requires order, and loves numbers, including the prime numbers with which he organizes the chapters of the book he is writing. Cast as a mystery story told in the first-person (Christopher wants to discover who killed the neighbor’s dog), this is actually a tale about how we make sense of a confusing world. It is funny, sad, uplifting, and moving all at once. It is a must-read. Make that a must-listen, for Jeff Woodman is masterful. His Christopher, with the light voice of an adolescent boy, is precise, dogmatic, and revealingly flat when discussing emotions. Dad’s blue-collar accent is a heartbreaking mix of stolid, patient, and frustrated. Mom sounds frantic. Even the people Christopher meets on the London Underground are miniature voice portraits. It’s all perfect, and perfectly unforgettable. A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 03/JAN 04]