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DOGS OF BABEL, THE by Carolyn Parkhurst Little, Brown & Company, June 2003 264 pages $21.95 ISBN: 0316168688 Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Paul Iverson is the storyteller of this book. His wife, Lexy, fell to her death from an apple tree. No witnesses were there except for their dog, Lorelei. This large dog is a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Originally this breed was utilized for hunting lions, but they are now known to be gentle dogs.

In trying to revisit events that happened on the day of and days prior to Lexy's death, Lorelei aids Paul. He wants his best friend, Lorelei, to give him some clue, some communication and definitely Paul is looking for some concrete answers. Paul approaches this research with a passion.

Originally, Lexy and Paul met at her garage sale. She was a maker of masks; their first date lasted for one week. They went to a wedding first and then on to other adventures. As Paul recounts his memories, he actively looks for hidden meanings in everyday occurrences.

The loss of Lexy affects Lorelei as well as Paul. There is poetic writing of Lorelei's grieving, poignantly written. Lorelei and Lexy met when the dog was five months old and bleeding. Lexy helped her new found canine friend.

Of interest to me and to all bookaholics will be the listing of the book titles that Lexy arranged before her death. These help give us a composite of who she was. Lexy was a complex person. The author tells us that she has a "fine sense of play that colored everything she did." She liked mythology, was sometimes out of control and her fears of dying and living were part of who she was. She was still an artist who made extraordinary masks. Themes of loss, hope, forgiveness, trust and sadness are paramount. The rich visuals with fragile undertones will give readers many thoughts to ponder.

If you are dog lover, as this reviewer is, do keep your kleenex handy. You will need it. Highly recommended!

Reviewed by Rita Ratacheck, July 2003

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