Dave Lemen

the curious incident of the dog in the night-time

I read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon on a flight from DC to San Francisco (It's a quick read -- I was finished somewhere over the Rockies), and would recommend it to just about anyone. I see that others have made the comparison to The Catcher in the Rye already. In this case, the boy telling the story is an autistic 15 year-old. The story is emotionally compelling, but it's told by a kid whose emotional range is extremely limited, and for whom reading the emotions of others is difficult. As I read, I felt sorry for the poor kid, but with some question as to whether or not I should. The story certainly gave me an appreciation for the family, friends, and professionals who work with autistic kids. Haddon is brilliant for telling this story in this way, and for telling it so well.