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Dinner & A Book - The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time

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Episode #508 - The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time

 This is Mark Haddon's first work for adults, but it was published simultaneously in an imprint for young readers too.

 This story is about a fifteen-year-old kid with Asperger‚ Syndrome who discovers a poodle named Wellington who has been murdered during the night. A fan of Sherlock Holmes stories, the main character, Christopher John Francis Boone, decides to investigate the poodle‚ murder and turn the story into a book of his own. Christopher is quite good at puzzles, at math and at remembering. He is, however, incapable of delineating among the various grades of human emotion on the scale between happy and sad. The book is hilarious on

 one page, and then two pages later you want to cry. Christopher is the narrator and he seems to be hugely ill-quipped for writing a book‚ he can‚ understand metaphor, he can‚ understand other people‚ emotions, he misses the bigger picture‚ and yet it makes him incredibly well suited to narrating a book. Christopher lists on pages 46-7 his behavioral problems.

 He can‚ stand to be touched or to be crowded by people. He depends on routine: the meals must be the same and the furniture should remain the same, otherwise he becomes very anxious. How does this anxiety manifest itself? By groaning, by screaming by striking out a people. We decided to arrange a meal that Christopher would be comfortable with and one that would reduce his anxiety.

 My guest is Dr. Geneva Woodruff, a friend who appeared last year on Dinner and a Book when we discussed TENDER AT THE BONE. Geneva specializes in early childhood disorders, early childhood intervention and she comes to Elkhart to train principals, teachers and counselors in methods of working with children with special needs. She is a good friend, a good cook and is protective of children with disorders.

Original Airdate: February 15, 2005