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Fifteen Dogs
- Narrated by: André Alexis
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
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Fifteen Dogs
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Publisher's Summary
"I wonder," said Hermes, "what it would be like if animals had human intelligence."
"I'll wager a year's servitude," answered Apollo, "that animals - any animal you like - would be even more unhappy than humans are if they were given human intelligence."
And so it begins: a bet between the gods Hermes and Apollo leads them to grant human consciousness and language to a group of dogs overnighting at a Toronto veterinary clinic. Suddenly capable of more complex thought, the pack is torn between those who resist the new ways of thinking, preferring the old dog ways, and those who embrace the change. The gods watch from above as the dogs venture into their newly unfamiliar world, as they become divided among themselves, as each struggles with new thoughts and feelings. Wily Benjy moves from home to home, Prince becomes a poet, and Majnoun forges a relationship with a kind couple that stops even the Fates in their tracks.
André Alexis' contemporary take on the apologue offers an utterly compelling and affecting look at the beauty and perils of human consciousness. By turns meditative and devastating, charming and strange, Fifteen Dogs shows you can teach an old genre new tricks.
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What the critics say
"[Alexis] devises an inventive romp through the nature of humanity in this beautiful, entertaining read.... A clever exploration of our essence, communication, and how our societies are organized." (Kirkus Reviews)
"Alexis manages to encapsulate an astonishing range of metaphysical questions in a simple tale about dogs that came to know too much. The result is a delightful juxtaposition of the human and canine conditions, and a narrative that, like just one of the dogs, delights in the twists and turns of the gods' linguistic gift." (Publishers Weekly)
"...I'm far from being a dog person, but as a book person I loved this smart, exuberant fantasy from start to finish." (Jonathan Gibbs, The Guardian)
What listeners say about Fifteen Dogs
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Simeon Goa
- 2020-07-12
a great peak inside the minds of gods and dogs
i loved everything about this book. its a wonderfully read tale of what happens when two gods make a bet about dogs, and a little about humans too.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Katie
- 2018-09-13
Deep and emotional story
Loved the narration and the emotion behind the reading. The story was engaging and had me wanting to keep listening! The story brings he reader into the mind of each character unlike any other title. I’ve actually enjoyed this title more than once already and likely will again. #Audible1
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alla
- 2019-07-24
Really really interesting!
Obviously not about dogs but what a fascinating socio-political philosophical work!
The recording was a bit awkward in a couple of spots with editing errors but none of that would bother you. In fact, it’s maybe even better because you can hear the author flipping a page or correcting himself.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Sharon Prevette
- 2021-12-07
An interesting premise
I must confess that even though I enjoyed this story, I would have liked the author to follow through with the possibility of the two gods bequeathing human language to cats. The reading was well done.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- JohnS
- 2020-05-09
Very well written
A very unique and creative book. There is much in it to think about with large doses of reality and humour. Very well done!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 2020-06-06
Good narration, slow but captivating.
I got the book for free and decided to give it a listen. It is a lot of exposition in the beginning but by the end of it, you have built a relationship with the dogs.
It was philosophical, thought provoking, and easy to listen to.
I did not find any issues with thr narrator's voice, and felt it suit the tone of the book.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mike Reiter
- 2021-01-08
Interesting concept, well done
Two Greek gods make a bet that if they gave an animal human intelligence they would be more unhappy than humans. The bet ends up that the animal has to be happy at the time of death. They decide on 15 dogs that are at a kennel. The story then follows these dogs.
As you get introduced to the dog they start to develop personalities. SPOILER - but as dogs don't have long lives you are quickly down to four main ones.
The stories are interesting and both ask the big metaphysical questions of humanity, as well as hold a mirror to humanity. The style is engaging and the narrator sounds a bit like Donald Sutherland.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story2 out of 5 stars
- SHIRLEY
- 2020-06-09
Sorting my thoughts
Confusion about purpose of story comes to mind. Is author drawing a comparison to behaviour between dogs and humans? Are humans portrayed as behaving not much better than canines?I currently am not a dog owner but am left with an almost unsettling attitude towards dogs. Wonder how I will respond to next dog I meet. Author has supposedly delved very deeply into the thoughts of the fifteen dogs, enough so I am left feeling quite unsettled.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Matthew Wong Ken
- 2020-07-29
Phenomenal
Truly intelligent, with raw reality. A fantastic concept that should be read in schools. Fantastic
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Linda in Nepean, Canada
- 2022-12-26
Dogs are dogs even when they think like humans
This is one of the more interesting books that I have experienced. I love dogs and selected the book primarily for that reason. The fate of the 15 dogs is sometimes difficult to hear about, but not unexpected. The story is a wonderful blend of philosophy, poetry and dog behavior. The author is a great narrator as well as a great writer. Make sure to listen past the end of the story to the epilogue. I have given the book four stars overall because I found the earlier chapters shorter on detail regarding the lives of the dogs than I would have liked. The latter chapters are much better in that regard.
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