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Fifteen Dogs Andre Alexis 9781781255582 Books

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Fifteen Dogs Andre Alexis 9781781255582 Books

When reviewing a book such as this one, in which dogs are given human-like powers and intellect, I find it interesting to compare 15 Dogs to Jack London's books, in which dogs, also Canadian ones to boot, are given or at least attributed similar capabilities. Of course for Alexis' Dogs the powers are divinely granted whereas for London's the powers are more primeval, more Mother-Natural if we will, but the comparison is still of value. Which dogs come out ahead? Survival in winter: London's would seem to do better than Alexis', although ultimately both would need humans. Ability to deal with an aggressive man: Alexis' can dodge a dog-catcher whereas London's can hide from a gun. But these are facile comparisons. The key is in the poetry; it always is. Alexis deeply wants to believe, and wants us to believe as well, that poetry gives an edge to human and canine alike. London, well, his poetry is not recited like Alexis', but rather only occasionally felt in the harmony between man, nature, and dog. Perhaps poetry is the mark of higher intellect, meaning nothing yet everything, the closest we get to the divine. London never got that far and Alexis did, so that should settle it, but in all fairness perhaps Alexis could not have gotten where he got without London in the background. Great book Andre.


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Fifteen Dogs Andre Alexis 9781781255582 Books Reviews

It was an odd book. Yet as I read I liked it more. In the end it moved me to tears. I am not quite sure why. Perhaps because of the dogs I have I have loved and lost. Perhaps because of the people I have loved and lost. Perhaps because of the parts of me that I have loved and lost. Perhaps because of the idea of death and the finality of death. It was an odd book. It made me think. It made me for the first time appreciate poetry. An odd but appreciated book.
First book review but felt compelled after reading this book in just a few days. It is not a heavy book and the plot is clear, humorous, and deeply contemplative. There was something captivating about taking such a unique, fresh perspective as dogs with minds fable. What happens when dogs gain human intelligence one sudden moment in their lives? What transgresses is a philosophical awakening. I appreciated that each animal "gifted" with intelligence responds to their new consciousness so differently... each living threads of life through the streets of Toronto.

Also, this book is printed BEAUTIFULLY. The paper is thick, the Albertan typeset is beautiful, and the accompanying maps gave a great feel to the book.
The gods' wager and the book's premise - will 15 dogs die in a happy or unhappy state after having been granted human conscience and language - is haunting. Events start like rivulets, then forming into creeks as the characters and destinies of the dogs and the pack develop, to finally, with the last surviving dog, becoming a large and unfathomably wide river full of unanswered secrets and questions about what represents a good life and a good death, and what eventually remains as eternal. Pity for those who abandon the book too early upstream!

Based on the premise of the wager, the book obviously has a philosophical bent, but never do the dogs in the story become mere 'canine' humans though. They retain their 'dogginess' throughout despite their ability to think rationally in human terms and to understand and speak human language. This makes their ability to reflect on the human and their own condition in an urban setting all the more alluring. A worthy modern parable for our times.
Spoiler alert You will have a tear in your eye by the end of this metaphysical fantasy- more questions than answers, and pets bewildered by your renewed affection. Warning this book is guaranteed to detonate arguments in book clubs and college dorms. Decades my have past since you read Greek mythology, but recall that their gods were capricious, whimsical, often meddling with the fates of earthly creatures, but also occasionally beneficent...so don't be surprised when you next drop into your favorite watering hole - here, The Wheat Sheaf Tavern at King and Bathurst (Toronto) - if your bearded bar mate downing the suds is really on a different plane, there to observe your behavior and make a wager on the nature of humanity. Among the questions quaffed in this fast moving animal tale are to what extent intelligence is a source of unhappiness. Do words and imagination only confound? Is it better to "think" or to "know" (instinct)? Is collective behavior a 'good' or is it just uniformity? Is a hierarchical order, a "geometry of dominance", a natural good that when challenged only leads to pain and unhappiness? Are we only true to our real nature without gods and governments? If you die with Hope in your heart, with pure loyalty to your master (mate?), can it be said that you were happy? And is love a natural evolution of loyalty? Ultimately - spoiler alert [2] -awareness of our mortality and a gift that allows us to love and be loved in return is the essence of our being - and that says this author cannot be extinguished.
Am I dense or...I don't know. I was intrigued enough to keep reading, but it felt overly pretentious. Or maybe it was just above me and I resented that. Was it about possessing human intelligence or was it just about death...since that's all that any of them amounted to. I still don't know what the point was and I'm sad to have read about 15 dogs dying. Now I'm uncomfortAble when my dog stares at me. I might recommend it to a friend just so I can ask them what the check does it at all mean?
When reviewing a book such as this one, in which dogs are given human-like powers and intellect, I find it interesting to compare 15 Dogs to Jack London's books, in which dogs, also Canadian ones to boot, are given or at least attributed similar capabilities. Of course for Alexis' Dogs the powers are divinely granted whereas for London's the powers are more primeval, more Mother-Natural if we will, but the comparison is still of value. Which dogs come out ahead? Survival in winter London's would seem to do better than Alexis', although ultimately both would need humans. Ability to deal with an aggressive man Alexis' can dodge a dog-catcher whereas London's can hide from a gun. But these are facile comparisons. The key is in the poetry; it always is. Alexis deeply wants to believe, and wants us to believe as well, that poetry gives an edge to human and canine alike. London, well, his poetry is not recited like Alexis', but rather only occasionally felt in the harmony between man, nature, and dog. Perhaps poetry is the mark of higher intellect, meaning nothing yet everything, the closest we get to the divine. London never got that far and Alexis did, so that should settle it, but in all fairness perhaps Alexis could not have gotten where he got without London in the background. Great book Andre.