Audiobook Sample

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  • Title: Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
  • Author: Mark Haddon
  • Narrator: Jeff Woodman
  • Length: 06:05:00
  • Version: Abridged
  • Release Date: 12/05/2004
  • Publisher: Recorded Books
  • Genre: Fiction & Literature, Literary Fiction, Coming of Age, Family Life
  • ISBN13: 9.78E+12
Dear kindred literary spirits,

As I sit in my book-lined study, the afternoon light filtering through the stained glass window I brought back from Kyoto, I find myself reflecting on how Mark Haddon’s “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” – particularly in Jeff Woodman’s brilliant narration – achieves something remarkable in contemporary literature. This audiobook doesn’t just tell a story; it creates an immersive cognitive experience that transports listeners into Christopher Boone’s singular worldview.

What fascinates me most is how Haddon’s narrative structure, combined with Woodman’s narration, replicates the experience of neurodiversity. The novel’s mathematical precision in chapter numbering (all prime numbers) becomes a rhythmic mantra in audio form, creating what I can only describe as an ‘architecture of thought’ that mirrors Christopher’s mind. This reminds me of when I first taught this text in my ‘Narrative and Cognition’ seminar at Berkeley – how my students and I spent weeks analyzing how form follows neurological function in Haddon’s prose.

Jeff Woodman’s performance is nothing short of revelatory. His ability to capture Christopher’s flat affect while simultaneously conveying the character’s deep inner life is a masterclass in vocal acting. The slight hesitation before emotional moments, the precise enunciation of mathematical concepts, the subtle shifts in pacing when Christopher becomes overwhelmed – these choices create an authentic representation of autism spectrum experience that avoids both sentimentality and stereotyping. Having narrated over 200 audiobooks myself for my literary podcast, I can attest to the extraordinary skill required to achieve this balance.

Through a cultural lens, what makes this audiobook particularly compelling is how it challenges our assumptions about narrative empathy. Traditional coming-of-age stories often rely on emotional cues that Christopher’s perspective deliberately omits. Yet Woodman’s narration finds alternative pathways to create connection – through the sheer precision of his delivery, the careful modulation during moments of sensory overload, and the palpable sincerity in Christopher’s quest for truth. It’s an approach that reminds me of Haruki Murakami’s narrative techniques in “Kafka on the Shore”, where emotional resonance emerges from unexpected places.

The audiobook format enhances several key elements of Haddon’s novel:

1. “Sensory Experience”: The spoken word intensifies Christopher’s sensory perceptions. When Woodman describes the ‘groaning’ of the subway or the ‘scratchiness’ of certain fabrics, listeners viscerally experience Christopher’s hypersensitivity.

2. “Mathematical Rhythm”: The prime-numbered chapters create an aural pattern that becomes almost musical in its predictability, providing cognitive comfort much as it does for Christopher.

3. “Emotional Distance/Proximity”: Audio allows for fascinating tension between Christopher’s clinical descriptions and the emotional reality beneath. Woodman’s slight vocal tremors during key moments hint at depths Christopher himself might not recognize.

However, the format also presents challenges. The novel’s visual elements – diagrams, mathematical proofs, and Christopher’s drawings – are necessarily absent. While Woodman’s descriptions compensate admirably, some listeners might miss these textual features. This limitation reminds me of our semester-long exploration of multimedia narratives at Berkeley, where we debated how different formats shape storytelling.

Compared to similar works in the neurodiverse narrative genre, “Curious Incident” stands apart in audio form. Where “The Reason I Jump” (Naoki Higashida) benefits from David Mitchell’s thoughtful translation notes in print, and “House Rules” (Jodi Picoult) relies on multiple perspectives, Haddon’s single viewpoint gains remarkable intimacy through Woodman’s focused narration. The audio experience becomes not just a story but a cognitive journey.

For potential listeners, I’d recommend:

– “First-time listeners”: Allow yourself to be unsettled by the narrative style. The discomfort is intentional and ultimately rewarding.
– “Educators”: Consider this audiobook’s potential for teaching narrative perspective and empathy. My students consistently report deeper understanding after hearing Woodman’s performance.
– “Parents of neurodiverse children”: Approach with an open mind. This isn’t a clinical portrait but an artistic interpretation that may offer new insights.

The recording quality from Recorded Books maintains their usual high standards, with crisp audio that does justice to Woodman’s nuanced performance. At just over six hours, it’s a manageable listen that nonetheless leaves a lasting impression – much like Christopher’s story itself.

With scholarly appreciation and a reader’s admiration,
Prof. Emily Chen