Travel in the Mouth of the Wolf (Soft Skull ShortLit) [Paperback]

Paul Fattaruso (Author)

Book Description

Series: Soft Skull ShortLit | Publication Date: August 31, 2004

Travel in the Mouth of the Wolf is a lyrical and highly visual modern-day fable. When a freak accident involving an infallible gambler, a truck full of chickens, and a gas pump leaves easygoing Iple deaf, he decides to travel to Antarctica. While wandering the tundra trying to reconstruct his hearing and memory, he makes a startling discovery below a sheet of ice. There he finds Isabella, a dinosaur and the last DNA repository of a wealth of human and prehuman knowledge. What follows is a mesmerizing detour into our species' fear and wonder at the nature of prediction in this comic yet harrowing novella in Soft Skull's ShortLit series.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Bewitching...Fattaruso has devised a delicate fable, an exercise in fictional minimalism painted with wide poetic strokes expressed in a slight 114 pages, encapsulated by 58 chapters, all brief bursts of literary wonder, hitting each note with a memorable verbal grace." - PopMatters "Not since reading Antoine de Sain Exupery's The Little Prince has this reader been so enchanted by a book. Fattaruso's even-keeled lilt of poetic momentum gently carries suspense and unforgettable imagery from page to page, imparting the wonderful strangeness of what it means to be and feel human. Fattaruso's ability to communicate genuine sweetness, vulnerability and poignancy is as strong as Seuss's talent for creating the pure delight of characters such as Cat in the Hat." - Rapid River Magazine "Thought-provoking philosophical tidbits...lucid and beautiful sentences." - Library Journal "[Paul Fattaruso] is a consummate stylist, and his lyrical, surprising prose carries the weight of many adventures, including adventures of the mind." - Review of Contemporary Fiction"

About the Author

Paul Fattaruso received his MFA in poetry from the University of Massachusetts in 2003. He lives with his wife Kristin in Vermillion, South Dakota, where he is pursuing a PhD.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
  
• Paperback: 112 pages
• Publisher: Soft Skull Press; Copyright 2004 edition (August 31, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1932360492
• ISBN-13: 978-1932360493
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,011,944 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good read, February 6, 2005

By 

M. Sons (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Travel in the Mouth of the Wolf (Soft Skull ShortLit) (Paperback)

Fattaruso is my brother's English professor at DU, so it was through him that I heard of this book.

I think overall this is an interesting and intriguing book. I love the writing style, and the storyline is very creative, though incredibly farfetched. It definitely keeps you reading, though I will say that a few chapters in the middle move a little slowly. The flow is very disjointed, but I think that's a lot of what makes the book so unique. By the time you get to the last chapter, it's absolutely wonderful.

Very good, entertaining read, and quick too, so if you're just looking for something on a rainy day to pass the time, this is a great book for that.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A mentally stimulating whirlwind journey, December 12, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Travel in the Mouth of the Wolf (Soft Skull ShortLit) (Paperback)

Travel In The Mouth Of The Wolf is a wryly written novel that blends elements of mysticism and even science fiction into a life-affirming journey. When a freak accident renders an easygoing young man deaf, he decides to take control of his life by traveling to Antarctica. On the way he encounters a bevy of unusual individuals. Twin little girl psychics seek to wrest control of the future of humanity's destiny, while the hidden secrets of a frozen dinosaur carcass may yet contain clues to make scientists dream. Part fable, part creation myth, always engaging and lyrical, Travel In The Mouth Of The Wolf is a mentally stimulating whirlwind journey from first page to last.

0 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Strange story, but interesting..., May 23, 2005

By 

Victory Silvers - See all my reviews

This review is from: Travel in the Mouth of the Wolf (Soft Skull ShortLit) (Paperback)

I'm not really sure how to summarize this book. I had to read it for my intro to creative writing class, since my professor went to grad school with the author. It's about a guy named Iple, who lost his hearing and decides to go to Antarctica with a bunch of researchers. It's also about a shortstop in Brazil. And a dinosaur named Isabella who remembers everything that ever happened in the past. I don't think I would have ever picked this up on my own time, but the style was interesting to look at.