“It’s the idea of faith rather than the faith itself that’s interesting to me,” Alexis says, telling me he’s a confirmed agnostic, sharing a practical skepticism with Majnoun, one of his canine characters. If even one dog, having been cursed with a human perspective on the world, dies happy, then Hermes will win the bet, against all odds. The dogs are granted consciousness as a lark, part of a bet between the gods Apollo and Hermes. Here, the apologue form allows Alexis to simplify the experience of consciousness, and, more importantly, to access the problem of the mind by way of an immense, dog-loving heart. The form embraces pointed details that exaggerate, sometimes cartoonishly, the intended moral of the story. Fifteen Dogs is an apologue, an ancient Greek form for moral fables, frequently positioning animals as characters who may stand in for human experiences. The first in the series, Pastoral, was, yes, a pastoral approach to the themes of faith, place, love, power and hatred that will connect the five books. “Sort of like Beckett’s trilogy - they don’t necessarily share characters, but there is a strong connection in the thematic concerns,” Alexis explains. The novel is the second in Alexis’s current five-part project, what he calls a “Quincunx,” where he aims to explore the same handful of ideas and themes from the distinct vantage points offered by applying certain classic genre constraints to narrative. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. What unites us in consciousness is also what divides us, our sense of our own separateness from everyone, and everything, else. The novel is a tender and elegant exploration of the perpetual problem of human consciousness, and the ways that gift is likewise a curse - we all have it, but to so many different ends and in light of infinitely unique experiences. It’s a fitting observation from the author of Fifteen Dogs. It was an inspiring and diverse shortlist, and as we take our seats in the cafe, Alexis mentions how pleased he was to see such a range of perspectives represented by the jury, the presenters, and of course, the literature being celebrated.

No one person can run everyone else over.” With a slightly bigger jury, there’s less room for coercion and more for consideration, he explains, shaking Alexis’s hand, “that’s the beauty of five. For the first time, this year’s prize jury was made up of five rather than three members, and MacLeod says he thinks it’s a magic number. In the lobby of the hotel, where the annual ceremony is held, we run into Alexander MacLeod, a juror for this year’s $100,000 prize. Manage Print Subscription / Tax Receipt.

Fifteen dogs by andré alexis