The Wolf in the Parlor

The Eternal Connection Between Humans and Dogs

By: Jon Franklin

Narrated by: George K. Wilson

Of all the things hidden in plain sight, dogs are one of the most enigmatic. They are everywhere, but how much do we really know about where they came from and what the implications are of their place in our world? Jon Franklin set out to find out and ended up spending a decade studying the origins and significance of the dog and its peculiar attachment to humans.

As the intellectual pursuit of his subject began to take over Franklin's life, he married a dog lover and was quickly introduced to an ancient and powerful law of nature: love me, love my dog. Soon Franklin was sharing hearth and home with a soulful and clever poodle named Charlie. And so began one man's journey to the dogs, an odyssey that would take him from a 12,000-year-old grave to a conclusion so remarkable as to change our perception of ourselves.

Building on evolutionary science, archaeology, behavioral science, and the firsthand experience of watching his own dog evolve from puppy to family member, Franklin posits that man and dog are more than just inseparable; they are part and parcel of the same creature. Along the way, The Wolf in the Parlor imparts a substantial yet painless education on subjects as far-ranging as psychological evolution and neurochemistry.

In this groundbreaking book, master storyteller Franklin shatters the lens through which we see the world and shows us an unexpected, enthralling picture of the human/canine relationship.

©2009 Jon Franklin (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"A welcome - and surprising - view into the canine soul from somebody who clearly understands and loves dogs." (Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, author of the international best seller Dogs Never Lie About Love)

very informative

Learned alot of things I did not know about our furry children

I loved all the science and speculation!

What did you love best about The Wolf in the Parlor?

Jon is a likeable guy. Not too stubborn or rigid with a drole sense of humor. I love how his wife could guide him into life with dogs. Jon shared his daily life with Charlie and Charlie's relationship with Lynne, his wife. Jon refers himself to be the "Omega" in the pack that is their family unit of wife, man and dog.

I enjoyed how he could talk about the science he was digging up on the origins of the dog (follower wolves) and their developing relationship with man and woman then share all his speculations about this information.

What did you like best about this story?

I anticipated what he would conclude all through the book. I was surprised by the last 2 chapters because of all the detail he could put the pieces together. He helped give me a new perspective on the thousands and thousands of years that bought about the development of our world today. It makes sense to me!

Which character – as performed by George K. Wilson – was your favorite?

Jon - it was remarkable how quickly he came into sync with Charlie.

Interesting Science and great dog stories

Would you consider the audio edition of The Wolf in the Parlor to be better than the print version?

Yes, George Wilson was the perfect narrator for this book.

Which scene was your favorite?

It's a good mix of some interesting brain sciene, studies of the wolf, with really good dog stories. George Wilson has a casual reading style that adds to the book.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I have listened to this book more than once, and have shared the stories with many friends.

Any additional comments?

The intro line is so relavent it go something like this "the certainies you held in your 20's become obsurities in your 50's" Oh, how true. This author has some really great insights.

One of the best books ever!

I have enjoyed this book tremendously. The author is a science writer who, at the beginning of the book, has little to no interest in dogs. He meets a woman who he eventually marries and who insists that they get a puppy. This sparks his interest and he is intrigued by why we have this other species occupying such a privileged position in our lives. He uses his talent as a science writer to cover a broad range of science issue that shed light on the relationship between humans and dogs. This book is in some ways similar to Patricia McConnell's "For the Love of a Dog" except her book is heavier in neurobiology and this book is stronger in evolution. Both books are excellent. I highly recommend this book as well as hers.

Brilliant reading for any dog person!

Beautifully written story integrates science and personal experience as we discover the co- evolution of people and dogs.

Five Woofs!

The Poodle in The Parlor

The proposal to the publishers must have been impressive: cutting edge research on dog-wolf and human paleo-history correlated by a science journalist, alongside musings on his personal relationship with his dog. The formula didn't quite crystallize. The author's theories on the co-development of the human and canine brains were not very convincing, and while his praise for his wife's dog and all other standard poodles rang true, it seemed too generic.

His denigration of mixed-breed dogs rankled. I didn't let my shelter-rescued mutts listen.

On the whole, the book was informative and interesting, but did not meet my expectations.

Read & Listened!

I bought this book years ago, and thought it was so phenomenal I've gifted several to friends and family, who also loved it. "Re-reading" it via audiobooks, and loved George K. Wilson's narration as well, and am gleaning other details the second time around aurally.

More Science than Story

I enjoyed this book though it was not quite what I expected. It does start out slow, stating information about human brain chemistry and wolf brain chemistry and how they relates to the evolution of the dog. However, it eventually comes together and you realize why the author goes into such detail. There are some cute stories about the author's dog, but I would have liked more anectodes. I was hoping for more information about the evolution of specific dog breeds and their orginal uses which did come up briefly, but was definitely not enough. The narrator does an excellent job. This book was just not quite what I expected, but if you are a true dog lover or are just interested in evolutionary science you will probably enjoy this book. If you are looking for anectodes and practical information about dogs, this book will probably be too slow and scientific for you.

Philosophy, not science

Having just finished John Bradshaw's "Dog Sense" and hoping to find another good book on the evolution of dogs, I was excited to see all the reviews that said that "The Wolf in the Parlor" had too much science in it. Just my style.

Unfortunately, this book doesn't actually contain much science. It contains the coherent, well-written, and entertaining musings of a guy who does a little research and then spends a lot of time thinking about what it might mean. It's an enjoyable journey that touches here and there on actual science, but it's mostly speculation and anecdotes.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes. Did I learn anything from it? No.

A book for every dog-lover, nay, animal-lover

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I unequivocally recommend this book to all my friends, and have bought copies for a choice few. I've read this book twice and listened to the audiobook. I think its one of the most important works examining our place in the modern ecological world to be written in the last 50 years. There is obviously a deep, undying relationship between human and canine that has gone grossly under-researched given that of all the domesticated animals, the dog seems to be the only animal to which we continue our domesticated relationship into urban and suburban areas. It deserves more thought and attention because it's not the insight into the canine that is important, it is the insight into ourselves that holds the key.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Charlie, of course!

Have you listened to any of George K. Wilson’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the only book of his to which I've listened, but I've read others.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There are so many ah-ha moments in this book, but the section where the author draws a parallel into the shrinking of the human brain in evolutionary history coinciding with the proportional growth in the canine brain, that gives chills.

Any additional comments?

I would go so far as to recommend this book for high school science teachers looking for a tangible way to teach about evolution, which captivates and maintains student interest as well as involves students in a very personal way (most will have dogs in their homes).