Helpful Score: 2
This book, ironically since it is about giving the speechless speech, took my breath away. Parkhurst tackles several subjects, weaving them together to tell a heart breaking but classic story of a man and his dog. After his wife dies, the bereaved husband is stunned. What happened? Was her death truly an accident? Being a linguist, he looks to his dog for answers, embarking (no pun intended) on a frustrating journey. On this journey he discovers a seedy underbelly of men who attempt to give their dogs the ungodly power of speech.
But what is truly stunning about this book is the way Parkhurst portrays grief. Instead of an image of a widower sitting at home or going out and forming meaningless relationships, Parkhurst creates a character who hides his grief in the most impossible task. In this work, he is jumping down a rabbit hole in order to hide from his grief. All he has to do is climb out of it and truly look around his own home to find the answer he needs.
I think this book is ultimately about grieving the loss of someone to depression. What is depression and what forms does it take? Can someone still be highly functional, and yet deeply depressed? When can someone grieving from a loved one lost to depression accept that they are not to blame?
I fear I am not eloquently expressing the beauty of this book. All I can recommend is to read it yourself.
But what is truly stunning about this book is the way Parkhurst portrays grief. Instead of an image of a widower sitting at home or going out and forming meaningless relationships, Parkhurst creates a character who hides his grief in the most impossible task. In this work, he is jumping down a rabbit hole in order to hide from his grief. All he has to do is climb out of it and truly look around his own home to find the answer he needs.
I think this book is ultimately about grieving the loss of someone to depression. What is depression and what forms does it take? Can someone still be highly functional, and yet deeply depressed? When can someone grieving from a loved one lost to depression accept that they are not to blame?
I fear I am not eloquently expressing the beauty of this book. All I can recommend is to read it yourself.
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