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Title details for The Dolphin House by Audrey Schulman - Available

The Dolphin House

by Audrey Schulman
Alex Picard
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available

Based on the true story of the 1965 “dolphin house” experiment, this spellbinding novel captures the tenor of the social experiments of the 1960s in award-winning author Audrey Schulman’s tightly paced and evocative style. It is 1965, and Cora, a young, hearing impaired woman, buys a one-way ticket to the island of St. Thomas, where she discovers four dolphins held in captivity as part of an experiment led by the obsessive Dr. Blum. Drawn by a strong connection to the dolphins, Cora falls in with the scientists and discovers her need to protect the animals. Recognizing Cora’s knack for communication, Blum uses her for what will turn into one of the most fascinating experiments in modern science: an attempt to teach the dolphins human language by creating a home in which she and a dolphin can live together. As the experiment progresses, Cora forges a remarkable bond with the creatures, until her hard-won knowledge clashes with the male-dominated world of science. As a terrible scandal threatens to engulf the experiment, Cora’s fight to save the dolphins becomes a battle to save herself.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 5, 2022

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781609458102
      • File size: 258738 KB
      • Duration: 08:59:02

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Audrey Schulman's latest novel was inspired by an infamous dolphin experiment done in 1965. Alex Picard's narration is sympathetic to Cora, the young, mostly deaf, young lady who finds her purpose when she is hired to record observations of captive dolphins. Cora's voice is almost maternal as she begins to communicate with the animals. Picard empowers Cora's voice, gradually making it more forceful as she defends the dolphins against the inhumane treatment of the three male scientists, who were doing it in the name of research. The men are condescending toward Cora because of her gender and lack of education, but as she strengthens her voice and connects with the dolphins, they grudgingly begin to listen to her. An author's note and bibliography add historical context on the original research. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine
    • Kirkus

      Starred review from March 15, 2022
      A woman navigates life in 1960s America, finding her way while interacting with dolphins in a scientific-research project. In 1965, hearing-impaired Cora is a waitress in a Florida club, one in which her tight-fitting bunny costume includes ears and a tail. While using her earnings to pay off new hearing aids that "masqueraded as cat-eye glasses," Cora manages a tricky situation nicely until, that is, one man's wandering hands wander a little too far. Then, inspired by a sign for South Pacific, she buys a one-way ticket to St. Thomas, where she crosses paths with Dr. Blum, a research scientist studying dolphins. In the water with the mammals, Cora discovers a wonderful new angle to her world: she can "hear" the dolphins spectacularly underwater--and they respond to her, too. As she wins their trust, the scene is set for a tale that's both inspiring and ghastly--Blum is conducting physical research on the dolphins, after all--but the relationship between Cora and the mammals is joyfully detailed and a pleasure to follow. Schulman builds a lovely picture of the growth of mutual trust and enjoyment among the dolphins and Cora as she works to train the sea mammals to communicate linguistically with humans. Given the time frame, casual sexism is par for the course on the part of Blum and his male colleagues. The men are most likely to be found glued to the television, iced cocktails in hand, but that just leaves Cora more space to interact with the dolphins. She develops Blum's research processes, educates herself by reading Blum's science books, and even challenges him. Then, when Cora moves into a purpose-built homearium with one of the dolphins, the situation takes an intriguing turn. Both woman and dolphins come to vivid life in this fascinating and beautifully realized novel.

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Booklist

      March 1, 2022
      If you could tell the story of the ignored, would you? In Schulman's (Theory of Bastards, 2018) fifth novel, Cora works as a waitress in St. Thomas. On a break, she happens upon dolphins caged in a lagoon. Cora has lost her hearing due to a childhood fever and so can hear more clearly than most humans under water, which makes her a perfect helper for Blum and Tibbit, researchers working to teach human language to dolphins. Cora is adept at understanding nonverbal language, giving readers the benefit of knowing through her observations what characters mean and not just what they say. Meanwhile, her experiences of sexual harassment, rape, and generally being demeaned recall painful norms for the book's 1960s era, and ultimately lead to the scandal that shuts down the experiment. Schulman occasionally flashes back through Cora's life to give readers a fuller picture of the character's motives, which can sometimes make for a slightly disjointed story. Still, patient readers will enjoy this novel of the human need for connection, conversation, and community.

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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