Sound Commentary
Your Wise Guide to Audiobooks and Audio Book Reviews

By SoundCommentary Staff   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Dan Gutman. Satch and Me. Baseball Card Adventures. Read by Johnny Heller. 3 CDs. 3.25 hrs. Recorded Books. 2005/2010. 978-1-4361-6096-4. Library Edition. Ages 9+

Satch and Me is  a baseball story and it's also a sttory about time travel. What could be a more perfect combo for a young teen audience? As peanut butter is to jelly, as Phineas is to Ferb, as Abbot is to Costello, baseball and time travel form a winning team. Thirteen year old "Stosh" Stoshback is a Little League baseballer with a very unique talent. He's able to travel back in time, and then return to the present simply by holding a baseball card between his fingers and concentrating. When he gets into a discussion with "Flip" Valentino (his coach) about which pitcher threw the fastest pitch ever, they decide to use a "hands on" approach to find out. After reading what some past baseball greats said on the subject, they target the legendary "Satchel" Paige and, packing a radar gun to time the speed of his pitches, travel back to 1942. Not only do they meet the charismatic and talented Paige, and get to play catch with him, but coach Valentino is given a second chance at fulfulling his life's dream - to pitch for the Dodgers.

A quick fix of fantasy fun with a heavy dose of baseball fact (and a similar dose of fictional writing to flesh out the story) along with the kid-friendly voice of Johnny Heller provide listeners with more than three hours of good stuff! Anybody from the young teens and beyond will enjoy this story and its happy, time-bending ending.  - Miles Klein

*LaFevers, R. L. Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus. Read by Charlotte Parry. 7 CDs. 8 hrs. Brilliance. 2010. 978-1-4418-5173-4. Library Edition. Grades 4-8 (ages 9-12)

*LaFevers, R. L. Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris. Read by Charlotte Parry. 8 CDs. 9.33 hrs. Brilliance. 2009. 978-1-4418-4681-5. Library Edition. Grades 4-8

*LaFevers, R. L. Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos. Read by Charlotte Parry. 7 CDs. 8 hrs. Brilliance. 2007/2009. 978-1-4418-4640-2. Library Edition. Grades 4-8

Theodosia Throckmorton might just be my new favorite character. By the time I was halfway through the last disc of R. L. La Fevers' third book, I was searching frantically for news of a fourth, not quite ready to say goodbye to this eleven-year-old Egyptologist and her wild escapades. Life will be a little duller after spending so much time with mummies, curses, and ancient artifacts!  La Fevers' characters are fun, insightful, and practically three-dimensional in their completeness. Her heroine, Theo, embodies the clever and adventurous spirit that we all wish we had followed as young children. It was a pleasure to tag along as she outwitted ominous omens and secret societies. The excitement is enhanced by Charlotte Parry, who is an outstanding narrator, in addition to being a New York and London based actress with extensive theatre experience on and off-Broadway and in the West End. Her accents are understandable and delightful; her emotions are clear and rise to every thrilling occasion. I cannot praise these titles enough; they are just as fun for children as adults and, I expect, even better when shared. - Kerry Keegan

Van Draanen, Wendelin. The Gecko & Sticky: The Power Potion. Read by Marc Cashman. 3 CDs. 3.33 hrs. Listening Library. 2010. 978-0-7393-7932-5. Library Edition. Ages 8-11.

This part 4 in a series featuring thirteen-year-old David Sanchez and his sidekick, an incorrigible gecko named Sticky, is an entertaining wild romp. Normally nerdy Dave's courier job takes him to strange and foreboding neighborhoods. Good for Dave; he can become a superhero when the situation calls for it. In this story he comes into possession of a gypsy potion intended for arch villain Damien Black. Filled with action, bathroom humor, and unrelenting silly rhymes, this is a listening delight. Marc Cashman (who teachers voice-actors through his classes, The Cashman Cache of Voice-Acting Techniques, in Los Angeles) delivers with fast-paced narration and energetic sound effects. - Nancy Crowder Chaplin.

Holm, Jennifer L. Turtle in Paradise. Read by Becca Battoe. 3 CDs. 3.75 hrs. Listening Library. 2010. 978-0-3077-3832-5. Library Edition. Ages 9-12.

It is 1935 and eleven-year-old Turtle is sent by her struggling single mother from New Jersey to the Florida Keys to live with relatives. Turtle, a hard-nosed realist, is just the opposite of her airy-fairy mother who has suffered heartache from numerous Prince Not-So-Charmings. The strength of this novel is its stunning description of the Key West of the time, which the afterword says comes from the author's own family history. (Jennifer L. Holm's great-grandmother emigrated from the Bahamas to Key West in 1897.) Not exactly met with open arms by her aunt and incorrigible boy cousins, Turtle is still no shrinking violet. With grit and determination she earns her place among a large cast of characters fighting to rise above the deprivations of the Depression. Award-winning LA based actress Becca Battoe gives spirited and age-appropriate narration. This is a story that teaches, entertains, and has tremendous heart.  - Nancy Crowder Chaplin.

Ernessa T. Carter. 32 Candles. A novel. Read by Adenrele Ojo. 8 CDs. 11.25 hrs. Books on Tape. 2010. 978-0-3077-4841-6. Library Edition.

Davie Jones loved the movie 16 Candles and dreamed of a Molly Ringwald ending to her own life in which, despite all odds, she lives happily ever after with the man of her (Davie's) dreams, James Farrell. When she is fifteen Davie learns just how far out of her grasp that dream is and runs away from her home and abusive mother in Glass, Mississippi to Los Angeles where she finds a job as a nightclub singer. Having given up on her dream, she is astonished when James Farrell comes back into her life offering her another chance for that longed-for ending. Stage, film and television actress Adenrele Ojo does a fantastic narration of Ernessa T. Carter's first novel. She brings all the characters to life and helps the listener develop a close relationship with Davie, experiencing the ups and downs along with her, with an intimacy that will make listeners feel like Davie's friend. Listeners will cheer her on and cringe at the regrettable things Davie does. Ojo brings out the humor and the heartbreak in 32 Candles, making it a wonderful, "feel good" book. Hopefully, Ojo will be narrating many more!  - Anna Bayerl

Key, Alexander. Escape to Witch Mountain. Read by Marc Thompson. 4 CDs. 4 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2009. 978-1-4419-5876-4. Library Edition.

Escape to Witch Mountain is an exciting and thought provoking science fiction adventure for young adults in which young orphans, Tia and Tony, are seeking "their own people" and a home where they would be safe to be their own extraordinary selves.

They are aware that they are different from others and that it is dangerous to show their magical or psychic abilities, because others fear, attack or seek to use them. There is so much that they don't know about themselves and have no family to teach them. The story begins as they are taken by a social worker (a character marvelously delivered by narrator Marc Thompson, a professional voice, stage and film actor) to the orphanage, after the death of their "Granny" caretaker.

In the stress of the situation, Tia and Tony begin to remember important events from their past, and recollect more throughout the story, as they seek a path to the safety of their own kind. One villain lies to the authorities, claiming to be their uncle, but the children know that he wants to take them away to an imprisoned life where their gifts would be used for unscrupulous purposes. Much of the plot is a big chase, the children showing their ingenuity and learning who to trust to help them, as, listening to their intuition, they run or hide. As they foil the plans of their pursuers, they learn about the world, themselves and come to realize who they really are. A wonderful "coming of age" story for all who ever felt themselves to be different from the norm.

Marc Thompson's performance is eloquent and with wonderful voices! He sounds more like a storyteller than a reader; his excellent pacing allows for easy listening. His cadence and inflection are strong and compelling.  The dialogue sparkles with characterization which adds depth of description to the author's well written prose. Character accents are complete with squeaks and the cruel orphanage overseer has a smoker's gravelly malevolent tones. Tia's voice is rendered as a perfect little girl, extraordinarily created. The Irish priest who befriends them sports a seamless sound of compassion, heartiness and strength.

This is a wonderful rendering of a cherished classic story by Alexander Key, the author of many popular science fiction stories for children, including The Forgotten Door, The Golden Enemy, and The Incredible Tide. - Rachel Claire.

Ryan, Carrie. The Dead-Tossed Waves. Read by Tara Sands. 10 CDs. 12 hrs. Listening Library/Random House Audio. 2010. 978-0-307-70718-5. Library Edition.

This companion to Carrie Ryan's The Forest of Hands and Teeth will surely please fans while those new to the story might have some difficulty feeling connected to the characters and the story. Gabry has never known life before the Mudo, zombies, attacked and humans needed to be protected by the Barrier. Gabry's mother, who came from the Forest, guards the lighthouse and fends off zombies that come out of the water. All are relatively safe as long as they don't go beyond the Barrier. But that changes when Gabry and some of her friends risk the Barrier one night too many. The Mudo attack them and those who survive the attack are imprisoned. What follows is a series of events that shatters everything Gabry has known. Narrator Tara Sands does a fine job at expressing the teen rebellion shown by the initial group convinced that the Barrier is no longer needed, while slowly introducing the desperation that nearly consumes Gabry as the story progresses. While fully voiced, there are times when the vocal patterns become inconsistent, making it challenging to track the characters. There are also times when the panic and desperation drag, but it is unclear if this is more a result of the story becoming melodramatic or the tone of the narrator. Nonetheless, the audio is mildly addictive, and listeners who can comfortably reconcile the zombie killings with the romantic conflicts Garby experiences through much of the second half will be satisfied. And they will be left looking forward to another installment by author Ryan, a graduate of Duke University School of law and former litigator who now writes full time. - Stephanie A. Squicciarini

Scott, Michael. The Necromancer. The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel. Read by Paul Boehmer. 9 CD. 11.25 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. 978-0-3077-1079-6. Library Edition. Ages 12+

Sophie and Josh Newman's adventures with the alchemyst Nicholas Flamel and the sorceress, Flamel's wife Perenelle, continue in this, the fourth book in the series, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel by Michael Scott. Sophie is kidnapped by Aoife, the warrior. Josh joins with the Flamels to find her only to discover that Aoife is in search of her twin sister, Scathach, who disappeared with Joan of Arc during a fight against the cucubuths sent by the Dark Elders in Paris. Retrieving Sophie, Josh and the Flamels agree to help Aoife and in turn, Aoife agrees to help them prevent Dr. John Dee and the Dark Elders from destroying the world of the humani using the ancient, deadly creatures imprisoned on Alcatraz.

Narrator Paul Boehmer, who also narrated the other volumes in the series has a good voice for storytelling, one that draws the listener in. He captures the personalities of each characters, so the reader recognizes who is speaking, and his pronunciation is clear and understandable. This audio version makes all the odd names and terminology accessible to younger listeners and for those who might struggle with the written text. Using the book while listening would be a great opportunity for struggling readers to experience an adventure that otherwise might be beyond their grasp. Book one in this series is The Alchemyst; book two, The Magician; and book three, The Sorceress. An authority on mythology and folklore, Michael Scott is one of Ireland's most successful authors. -  Anna Bayerl

McCormick, Patricia. Purple Heart. Read by James Colby. 4 CDs. 5 hrs. Recorded Books. 2009/2010. 978-1-4498-1053-5. Library Edition. Ages 12+

What do you do when you can't trust the images in your brain? Young Private Matt Duffy, stationed in Iraq, is hospitalized after an incident he can't remember. He is confused and disoriented, and immediately diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. He struggles with headaches, mood swings, and weakness in his legs, and doesn't know how or why he earned the Purple Heart he received. The one thing he is certain about is that his friend Ali, a ten-year-old Iraqi boy, was involved in the skirmish, and Matt may have shot him. With the help of some kind hospital personnel, he begins to organize some of his jumbled memories. He still has many more questions than answers, even when he returns to his unit and attempts to reconnect with his best friend, who has suddenly become distant. Readers find out the disturbing truth along with Matt in this timely and deeply affecting novel by former journalist and National Book Award finalist Patricia McCormick, who is also the author of several other novels for teens, including My Brother's Keeper, Cut, and Sold. Jim Colby, veteran audiobook narrator, brings the book to life with his engaging semi-voiced reading. His tone perfectly conveys Matt's transition from confusion and anger to eventual recovery. -  Olivia Durant

Sharon Draper. Out of My Mind. Read by Sisi Aisha Johnson. 6 CDs. 7 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. 978-1-4407-5615-3. Library Edition.Ages 9-12.

Eleven-year-old Melody has never spoken a word out loud. Although she fully comprehends everything around her, her disabilities prevent her from communicating her thoughts. Melody suffers from cerebral palsy and is physically unable to move or talk. Doctors tell her parents she is "brain-damaged;" however, in reality, Melody has a brilliant, photographic mind.

The narrative, told from Melody's point of view, allows the reader a rare look into Melody's thoughts and dreams. Her amazing outlook on life and ability to cope with her physical limitations is astounding. During the fifth grade, Melody is provided with an assistive device, called a Medi-Talker, which allows her to "speak" using only her thumbs. For the first time in her life, Melody can express her own thoughts and feelings with words. She finally gets to say "I love you" to her parents and "thank you" to a few of the amazing aides and teachers who have helped her. Her subsequent experiences in a mainstream classroom offer both disappointments and triumphs. However, through it all, Melody shows great intelligence, humor, strength and spirit.

Sisi Aisha Johnson gives a wonderful performance which adds additional layers to Award winning author Sharon Draper's work. Melody's voice is powerful and unforgettable. Highly recommended. - Danielle Lord.

By Francine Levitov   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Michael Shelden. Mark Twain: Man in White: The Grand Adventures of His Final Years. Read by Andrew Garman. 2010. 14 CDs. 17 hrs. 5 mins. Recorded Books. 978-1-4407-8593-1

Many biographers and scholars have pointed to the acerbity of Mark Twain's final works and inferred a disappointed and bitter author, sad, lonely, and increasingly despairing of the human condition. Nothing, states Shelden, could be further from the truth. For the most part, during the last 40 months of the celebrated author's life he was buoyant, frequently even joyous. His desire to revel in his vitality rather than succumb to the limitations of advanced age was symbolized by his sudden public appearance in the new attire that was to become his hallmark on two continents: a white suit.

While it is true that Twain's final years had more than a few setbacks – the death of one daughter and scandal involving another, improvident business investments, the burglary of his homestead, and his betrayal by his valued and long-term personal assistant Isabel Lyon – there were far more compensations. Shelden's research fleshes out the details of the latter to prove his point, examining, for example, his close friendships within his illustrious social set, his enchantment with the island of Bermuda, his lighthearted capers and correspondence with his Angelfish, and the pride he took in his honorary degree from Oxford. Garman's narration is at all times well-paced and engaging, in keeping with the tone and content of this upbeat biography.

By Mary Purucker   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Clive Cussler and Justin Scott. The Spy. An Isaac Bell Adventure. Read by Scott Brick. 10 CDs. 12.75 hrs. Books on Tape. 2010. 978-0-3077-3499-0. Library Edition.

Arthur Langner is a genius involved with improving weaponry for the Navy's warships. Though it looks like he has committed suicide, his daughter will not believe it and begs Isaac Bell to investigate. When some of the other men involved with the building of the Dreadnaught's secret Hull 44 die in suspicious circumstances, espionage and sabotage are suspected. It's 1908 and the United States doesn't have an FBI or CIA to track down spies. Bells' response is that it's murder and that's how he and the Van Dorn Detective Agency will handle it. Who is the Spy? Is he working for the Japanese, the Russians, the Germans, or the British? Sabers are rattling a few years before World War I and every country is trying to be first and best. And what about the gangster types, like Brian "Eyes" O'Shay, or the respected gem supplier, Herr Erhard Riker and his beautiful red headed ward, Katherine Dee? Lots of action and fascinating characters in this fast paced and well plotted thriller. Scott Brick knows his Cussler and Scott and how to deliver the maximum effect with all the diverse personalities and the rapid changes of scene. This is the best of the Isaac Bell series and well worth listening to, not only for the action but also for the history and technical expertise of the authors.

By Nancy Chaplin   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Cami Walker. 29 Gifts. How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life. Read by Tavia Gilbert. 5 CDs. 6.5 hrs. Blackstone Audio. 2009. 978-1-4417-3442-6. Library Edition. 

Shortly after her honeymoon Cami Walker was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and entered an abyss filled with physical pain and depression.  Somewhat of a connoisseur of the alternative healing scene, she turns to an African-American woman trained in traditional, medicine woman healing, who instructs her to begin a giving practice. While science might not back all aspects of what the author describes in the rituals there are studies that show the simple spiritual principle of giving to receive works. Her disease was not cured but her ability to cope grew by leaps and bounds. The tone of Walker’s prose is girlie-dramatic and Gilbert’s narration matches the breathless quality. This may give older listeners a twinge, as it is like  non-fiction, self-help Chick Lit.  But, I couldn’t help but be inspired by the author’s pluckiness as well as the amazing forbearance of her husband as she finds peace and happiness with friends, support groups, multiple alternative therapies, spiritual practices, and most of all, the simple act of conscious giving. Walker has a website that issues a giving challenge and participants can blog about their experiences. An open-hearted story for open-hearted listeners.

By Janet Julian   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*Peter James. Dead Tomorrow. Read by David Bauckham. 16 CDs. 18 hrs. Clipper audio/Recorded Books. 2009. 978-1-4407-7861-2. Library Edition.

The fifth novel in the Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series (the other are: Dead Simple, Looking Good Dead, Not Dead Enough, Dead Man's Footsteps; book #6 is Dead Like You published in 2010) continues James's award-winning police procedurals with a gritty story about human trafficking in body parts. Dead Tomorrow is an excellent example of the genre with fully-developed characters, suspense and a complicated plot that interweaves several seemingly disparate lines that converge in the end.

Lynn Beckett, single mom, is desperately seeking a liver for her dying teenage daughter Caitlin. Her former husband Malcolm works on a dredger out of Brighton in the English channel. Malcolm's ship pulls up a grisly body, a teenage boy trussed up in plastic and heavily weighed down. The autopsy shows his major internal organs have been surgically removed by an expert. Then two more teens are pulled out of the Channel also missing vital organs. Grace and his team identify the corpses as Romanian homeless kids. What are they doing in England and how did they get there? And more importantly, where are their hearts, livers, kidneys?

Besides this gripping puzzle, the author includes details about the sometimes messy private lives of the cops. For example, Grace's wife Sandy went missing nine years ago and he has finally found a woman he wants to marry, a woman who is carrying his child. He will have to have Sandy declared legally dead in order to marry. However, he catches a glimpse of a woman in Germany who looks just like Sandy. Is it she? Should he investigate? Should he forget her and get on with his life? His partner Glen has marital problems too. His wife has had him served with divorce papers but he can't let go of her or the children.

Narrator David Bauckham is a graduate of the prestigious Voice Studies course at the Central School of Speech and Drama. He has worked in all media as an actor and voice artist, with appearances on popular TV dramas, BBC radio plays, and in theater production, playing characters ranging from Roald Amundsen to Edward Elgar. He is also a qualified voice teacher, specializing in accents and dialects. He uses his talents for accents to good effect in Dead Tomorrow, giving us convincing German and Romanian characters, as well as various British accents. His female characters are convincing. Recommended to fans of the police procedural. This includes adult language, gory details, and a violent rape.

By Janet Julian   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*Mary Reed & Eric Mayer. Eight for Eternity: A John the Lord Chamberlain Mystery. Read by Simon Prebble. 8 CDs. 9.5 hrs. Blackstone Audio. 2010. 978-1-4417-2649-9. Library Edition.

The husband and wife team of Mary Reed and Eric Mayer began the John the Lord Chamberlain (aka John the Eunuch) mysteries with several short entries. Their first novel in the series, One for Sorrow, came out in 1999 and was followed by Two for Joy, Three for a Letter, Four for a Boy, Five for Silver, Six for Gold, and Seven for a Secret.

Eight for Eternity is set in Constantinople in 532 when Justinian (483-565) was emperor of the Byzantine Empire. The city is in flames because of the Nika Riots, started by warring chariot racing fans, the Greens and the Blues, and Justinian's throne is in danger. Complicating matters are the loyalties of Porphyrius, a famous charioteer, and General Belisarious, who may or may not put down the riots. Two rioters have been hanged, twice, because of defective ropes, and rescued by monks. Justinian planned to pardon them before cheering mobs in the Hippodrome, but one has been murdered and the other is presumed dead. Justinian sends John, his trusted chamberlain and a member of the privy council, to investigate the murder. Narses (478-573), another eunuch, Justinian's chamberlain and treasurer, is John's enemy and a favorite of the Empress Theodora. John's old friend Haik comes to the city only to be poisoned. Another old army buddy, Felix, plays a major role. And there is a mysterious madman cavorting on the roofs of the city, declaring its doom. The authors weave in two male relatives who may want the throne themselves, and a headstrong girl.

Historically the riots were finally put down by slaughtering thousands of fans in the Hippodrome. The novel is infused with period detail, historic figures, convincing dialogue, and an award-worthy main character. In 2003 the American Library Association's Booklist magazine named the series one of its four Best Little-Known Series. British born narrator Simon Prebble has recorded, to date, well over 450 titles. His reading of Eight for Eternity is excellent. His female characters are believable, as are his warring street urchins, a Persian ambassador, a drunken Roman patrician, various charioteers, a witch, and a blind beggar. Highly recommended

By Sue Rosenzweig   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Kate Grenville. The Lieutenant. Read by Nicholas Bell.6 CDs. 7 hrs. Bolinda Audio. 2008. 978-1-7421-4058-2. Library Edition.

Grenville used the 1790 notebooks of William Dawes (British surveyor and astronomer, 1762-1836) as the foundation for this fictional work that features Lt. Daniel Rooke, mathematician, astronomer, and linguist, as he sets sail from Portsmouth, England, with a cargo of convicts destined for colonizing New South Wales, Australia. There he comes into contact with Aboriginal people, one of which, the young girl Tagarin, begins to teach him the native tongue. A very understated and introspective story is perfectly interpreted by British trained actor Nicholas Bell as he reads with a very intimate voice, distinguishing each character with an individual voice. Bell has performed in many theatre productions in London and Australia; his television appearances include Inspector Morse, Frontline, Stingers, and Blue Heelers; and he has appeared in a number of feature films including Mission Impossible, The Craic, and Shine. The realities of life in the British Navy at the end of the 18th century are vividly portrayed.

By Sue Rosenzweig   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Jack Schaefer. Shane. Read by Grover Gardner. 4 CDs. 4 hrs. Blackstone Audio. 1949/2010. 978-1-4417-3264-4. Library Edition.

Robert ("Bob") Starrett tells the unforgettable story of the friendship between himself as a young boy, his parents, and Shane, a gunman trying to leave his past behind him, as he begins to work with the family on the Starrett homestead. This gripping story is narrated by Grover Gardiner, an award-winning narrator with over 700 titles to his credit. With an easy-to-listen-to deep voice, he gets the personalities of the characters and flavor of what life must have been like in the Old West. Listeners who may be disappointed that there is no Western twang to the voices will nevertheless be absorbed by the story.

By Joseph DiMercurio   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Anne Perry. The Sheen on the Silk. Read by Angela Dawe. 16 CDs. 19 hrs. Brilliance Audio. 2010. 978-1-4418-2489-9. Library Edition.

Byzantine is an apt description for The Sheen on the Silk, set in the 13th century, where political and religious alliances ebb and flow like the tide through the Bosporus. Anna, noble born and a physician, travels to Constantinople to learn the fate of her brother Justinian. Disguised as a eunuch, Anna becomes Anastasius and through her skill as a physician and her humanity soon finds herself privy to the lives and machinations of the rich and powerful. Caught between Emperor Michael Paleologus, Zoe Chrysaphes and Bishop Constantine of the Eastern Orthodox Church, she struggles to learn about her brother while maintaining her secret identity. Allegiances and loves are complicated, as Giuliano Dandolo, a half Byzantine and half Venetian ship captain, finds when he lands in this country straddling East and West.

It is a perilous time in Constantinople as forces in Rome, Florence and Venice plot along with Charles of Anjou to bring Constantinople and the Holy Land back under the control of the west. If that can only be achieved by force, so be it. Constantinople, still smarting as a result of the last crusade, would be hard enough to defend in the best of times but political divisions and fear make it is almost impossible. How can a divided Constantinople resist a stronger foe? How can Anna save her brother without compromising her faith and loyalty?

Anne Perry weaves her characters through the tumultuous events breathing life into a period and place usually only explored from a western perspective. Anne Dawe does a good job in making the characters distinct. One added plus is that the recording is divided into very short segments almost 100 per CD making it easy to keep track of your location.

By Nancy Chaplin   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Jeffrey Sweet. The Value of Names. Full Cast. 1 CD. 73 mins. L.A. Theatre Works. 2009. 1-58081-654-1. Trade Edition.

This play starts a bit stiltedly but slowly builds tremendous power. Benny Silverman, a retired, successful actor, is having a conversation with his actress daughter who, he learns, has changed her name. The dialogue is filled with the comic pathos of daughter-dad interactions everywhere but turns serious. His daughter has learned that, decades earlier, her father was forced to come before the House Committee on Un-American Activities for his part in union organizing. The man who sent him there was a friend and the producer of the play in which his daughter has landed a part. Eventually, the two men meet after years of estrangement and hammer out the heartbreak. Listeners will be mesmerized by the performances and script. The dialogue is deep, philosophic, and penetrating, with the intelligent and absurd satire that is part of Jewish tradition with Talmudic roots. A slice of horrible history is retold with skill, humor, grit, and grace

By Jodi Israel   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Charlaine Harris. Dead in the Family. A Sookie Stackhouse novel. Read by Johanna Parker. 8 CDs. 9.75 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. 978-1-4407-9352-3. Library Edition.

After the violence and pain that characterized Dead and Gone, it felt right to turn to a more internal story. Sookie is regrouping after the fairy war but can not escape the bloodshed that is part of the supernatural world. Someone is trying to frame her for murder but she can't think of an enemy on this side of the portal. Meanwhile, Eric's maker has come to town and that doesn't bode well for anyone. The story has a slower feel but provides more character development than in other books. Johanna Parker, who has read the series to date, captures Sookie's uncertainty and enhances her emotional range. Parker also had the skill to keep separate the other characters and remind us why we/Sookie had liked them in the first place. This had a True Blood feel to it and will ultimately appeal to both new and old fans of the series

By Carol Kellerman   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Frank Coates. Tears of The Maasai. Read by David Tredinnick. 15 CDs 18 hrs. Bolinda Audio. 2010. 978-1-7421-4642-3. Library Edition.

Feeling the need to get away from the memories of his involvement in a horrible incident in Australia, Jack Morgan accepts a position working for the UN in Kenya. His contact in Nairobi for the formulation of various development projects is Malaika, a beautiful young Maasai woman. Against all tradition she has left her family and village and pursued her education and a career while trying to forget the traumas of her adolescence. In conversations with Jack, Malaika also imparts information about the Maasai traditions and how her people had been able to maintain their isolation through the years. She also explains to Jack the oppression of women and attempts to explain the rationalization for the circumcision of women. Romance develops as they work closely together to try to help her people. The interesting, romantic, and adventure-filled plot incorporates background social issues, history and politics as the background.

Coates uses excerpts from Peabody's Guide to Africa 5th edition to inform the reader/listener specifically about the various areas of east Africa. Skillfully woven into the plot are a portrait of government corruption and a network of poaching that has proven to be extremely profitable for high-ranking politicians. Also serving as background to the plot is information about the widespread incidence of AIDS and descriptions of other diseases for which adequate care is not provided.

Coates has a true literary talent for capturing the vastness and grandeur that is Africa. Theatre, film, television and radio actor David Tredinnick's reading is outstanding as he fully voices the numerous characters, both Australian and African. Tredennick's voice also captures extremely well the tension of the political situations. A pattern of drumbeats begins and end each disk.

By Jodi Israel   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Laurell K. Hamilton. Bullet. An Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novel. Read by Kimberly Alexis. 11 CDs. 112.25 hrs. Books on Tape. 2010. 978-1-4159-6745-4. Library Edition.

Anita thought the Mother of All Darkness (MOAD) was dead so her sudden appearance in Jean-Claude's bed came as an unwelcome surprise. Though the MOAD no longer possesses a body, her powers are stronger than ever. It's up to Anita, Jean-Claude and a multi-colored cast of tigers to save not only St. Louis, but possibly all of America. Kimberly Alexis grows more comfortable in Anita's skin with every reading. The complex, mostly internal plot necessitates rampant changes in emotions. One of Anita's biggest quandaries in this book is work/life balance and Alexis makes that believable, lacing Anita's anger with self-directed frustration. Very mature content but ultimately satisfying.

By Sue Rosenzweig   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Reginald Hill. Traitor's Blood. Read by Sean barrett. 9 CDs. 10 hrs. ISIS Audio Books. 1983/2010. 978-1-4450-0118-0. Library edition.

When Viscount Bessacarr learns that he is dying of cancer, with only three months to live, he comes out of seclusion in Venezuela determined to see his daughter again. However, British Intelligence picks him up and he yields to their demands to kill his father, a famous traitor and defector, before he can be reunited with his daughter. It's wheels within wheels as this spy story unwinds. Experienced actor Sean Barrett (he played alongside Noel Coward in the West End and has had film parts in War and Peace, Dunkirk, and Sons and Lovers), winner of awards for his audiobook readings, here delivers a dramatic narration well suited to the story. He has won awards for his audiobook readings. His deep voice handles the many accents and foreign languages with ease.

By Susan Allison   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*Cullen, Lynn. The Creation of Eve. Read by Virginia Leishman. 12 CDs. 14.5 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. 978-1-4407-8684-6. Library Edition.

This novel marks Lynn Cullen's first venture into adult fiction. Her previous writing for children deals with art, France, and biography - all topics present in this fictionalized biography of the very real Italian painter Sofonisba Anguissola (1532-1625), one of Michelangelo's few female students. Sofonisba, , is known primarily as a portrait painter, although she also produced many drawings and paintings from nature. Giorgio Vasari recognizes her talent in his well-known work on the lives of Renaissance Italian artists.

In 1559 powerful King Felipe II summons 27-year-old Italian painter, Sofonisba Anguissola, to his court in Madrid where she is to instruct his third wife, Elisabeth of Valois, daughter of Catherine de Medici, in the art of painting. Arriving with her former nurse and companion, Francesca, Sofonisba (Sofi) soon becomes lady-in-waiting to the Queen and immediately finds herself in the midst of palace politics, intrigue, and the underlying threats of the Spanish Inquisition. Her position at court now makes it impossible to sign her name on her works of art.

The novel focuses on a number of relationships. The first is between King Felipe and Queen Elisabeth, who is nearly two decades younger than he. Her attention is frequently drawn to two young men much closer to her own age - the King's son Don Carlos and Felipe's illegitimate half-brother Don Juan. How will King Felipe treat these flirtatious and somewhat compromising relationships? Second, Sofi has her own love interest - Tiberio Calcagni, a painter, sculptor, and fellow student in Michelangelo's studio. How does she keep in touch with her lover in Rome and further her own career as a painter while occupying her influential position at court? Actress, composer and musician Virginia Leishman gives an excellent performance differentiates all the characters. Her ability to distinguish accents, sex, age, and station of the French and Italians, as well as the Spanish courtiers, speaks well of her talent. A highly recommended audiobook for those who like a colorful, lively historical novel, those interested in the lives of painters of 16th century Europe, and those who simply enjoy a good story.

By Laura Zelasnic   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Sheena Iyengar. The Art of Choosing. Read by Orlagh Cassidy. 9 CDs. 10.5 hrs. Hachette Audio. 2010. 978-1-60024-810-8. Trade Edition.

The Art of Choosing is not a how-to book. Instead, it is the presentation in popular form of a lifetime of research on the subject of Choice by the author, a tenured professor at Columbia Business School. The daughter of immigrant parents from India, Sheena Iyengar began thinking about choice as a child in public school. She interpreted the freedom of American life as the freedom to choose and thus began her research. Her life in America was a distinct contrast to that of her parents beginning with their meeting for the first time on their wedding day. Her husband and her choice of each other and its implications throughout both families and two continents is explored. Her freedoms have been thoroughly supported by her parents. Her first research was into the effect of following religions on happiness.

The book is filled with warm, familial anecdotes from the lives of her grandparents, parents, and her current life in New York as a professional, wife and mother. Iyengar has determined through her research and the review of others, that life, human and animal, without choice is a very diminished life. On the other hand, a life of unlimited choice may not have the best effect on individual happiness. Stage, film and television actress Orlagh Cassidy's accomplished reading is warm and confident; her overall presentation enhances the material.

By Bette Ammon   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

David Baldacci. True Blue. Read by Ron McLarty. 12 CDs. 14 hrs. Hachette. 2009. 978-1-60024-761-3. Trade Edition.

Top cop Mace (Mason) Perry has just been released from two years in prison having been kidnapped and framed for a crime. Everything's different now except the loyalty of her sister Beth who just happens to be the police chief in Washington DC. Determined to prove her innocence, Mace gets involved solving a murder Beth is working on after an attorney is killed and stuffed in an office refrigerator. One of the attorney's partners is Roy Kingman and suddenly he and Mace are on the case together. Events unfold quickly. Conspiracies at the highest level and routine violence abounds. Mace may easily end up back in jail if the nasty U.S. Attorney has anything to say about it.

Ron McLarty's reading is very good. Even though the main characters are female, he's able to sort out the variety of voices and make consistent and recognizable distinctions. Intermittent and unnecessary sound effects are in play during car chases and, while they are distracting (and startling if you're driving and listening), the entire story is riveting enough to overcome this small defect. Baldacci fans will love it. 

By Nola Theiss   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Anne Lamott. Imperfect Birds. Read by Susan Denaker. 9 CDs. 11.33 hrs. Books on Tape. 2010. 978-0-3077-1391-9. Library Edition.

This is one scary book. The story begins with an almost perfect family – a beautiful, athletic and brilliant daughter, Rosie, entering her senior year in high school; a devoted stay-at-home mother, and a loving stepfather. Unfortunately, Rosie's successful and happy exterior belies her real life with her friends. She is sexually active and taking every drug she can get her hands on. Somehow, she manages to maintain her perfect daughter persona. She gets two summer jobs – one where she is the adored teacher of little kids in daycare and another coaching her young physics teacher in tennis. Her parents begin to see cracks in her image as she misses curfews and is finally caught by police at an outdoor party. They begin to set limits and perform home drug tests, but Rosie knows all the tricks and is able to deceive them. What is so depressing about the story is the way Rosie can project one loving personality while at the same time, deliberately deceive her parents. Any parent who reads this book will question their own relationships with their teenage children and will feel helpless. Perhaps the listener will find some hope in the ending, but even that is not a given. Stage actress, narrator Susan Denaker does an excellent job getting inside Rosie's head as she rationalizes her actions and she conveys Rosie's ability to say the things she thinks others want to hear and to also show the way her parents slowly come to an awareness of what is really going on in their lives.

By Miles Klein   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Stephen King. Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Vols 1-3. Performed by various narrators. 23 CDs. 27 hrs. 1993/2009. Recorded Books. 978-1-4407-2701-6. Library Edition.

Vintage Stephen King is on display in this anthology of his short, and some not so short, stories. While not all the stories deal with things that "go bump in the night," there's something here for all King-ophiles. There is horror. There are vampires and zombies, but there's also a good deal of very dark humor - humor that only King can find in every day occurrences. A special treat in this collection is "The Night Flyer," read by the great Frank Muller, whose voice was stilled by a tragic accident many years ago. Listeners, new and old, will listen in awe to Frank Muller.

Listeners can expect surprises, but also expect stories where the author actually allows the listener to anticipate the (as it turns out ) not so surprising ending. Case in point, "Popsy," read by Joe Mantegna. Here, a young child is being kidnapped, all the while warning his kidnapper that his Popsy will find him and rescue him. Popsy is very smart and strong and can even fly, the youngster tells his disbelieving kidnapper, when something lands on the roof of the car - well, you already have a pretty good idea about Popsy. An assemblage of talented people, including the author himself, read these stories, each bringing unique talents and styles along. In the final C.D., King addresses his readers, gives background information on each story and even throws in a final kind of morality tale as a farewell bonus.

Although this anthology is composed of stories somewhat long in the tooth (and yes, some of the characters happen to be both long and sharp in the tooth), stories that can raise hackles, stories that can cause disturbing dreams, just like fine wine, they seem to have gained with age. Adult themes and some profanity would make this most suitable for mature teens and older.

By Sara Rofofsky Marcus   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Anne Frank. Diary of a Young Girl. The Definitive Edition. Read by Selma Blair. 8 CDs, 10 hrs. Listening Library. 2010. 978-0-7393-6816-9. Library Edition.

This definitive edition of Anne Frank's Diary is read in its entirety, including the lengthy notes at the beginning, and the notes that Anne had added later to her original diary. Television and movie actress Selma Blair reads clearly and with emotion. She uses an appropriate tone and age and listeners will feel as though Anne truly is speaking to them. The text comes alive with Blair's reading. The problem with reading this definitive edition with all the notes for further publication is that, while the date of the addition is read, without a change of voice or tone it is hard to be sure when each note has ended. This reading would be most appropriate for those who have the text in front of them as they listen.

By Sue Rosenzweig   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*David Hosp. Among Thieves. Read by George Guidall. 9 CDs. 11 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. 978-1-4407-7659-5. Library Edition.

This is a fascinating mixture of fact and fiction; the fact of the theft of paintings in 1990 from the Isabella Stewart Gardner museum in Boston and the fictional story of who, how, and why the paintings were stolen. Scott Finn is back as the street-wise lawyer along with his sidekicks, all of whom get involved in tracking down the answers. George Guidall's 40-year career in the theatre includes leading roles on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in regional theatres across the country. He has appeared on major soap operas in New York as well as TV shows such as Law & Order, The Equalizer, and Spencer for Hire. He is one of the industry's most acclaimed readers. And, as to be expected, he delivers a dramatic and engaging performance, voicing each of the fully-drawn characters naturally and believably. He makes it easy to keep track of the many twists and turns, and keeps the listeners engaged until the final surprise ending.

By Francine Levitov   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Ford Madox Ford. The Good Soldier. Read by Kerry Shale. 7 CDs. 7 hrs. 59 mins. Naxos Audiobooks. 2010. 978-9-6263-4132-2.

The Good Soldier, considered by scholars to be one of the few stylistically perfect novels in any language and one of the finest ever written in English, is told in a series of digressive flashbacks by John Dowell, one of its four principal characters. Ostensibly the story of a thirteen year friendship between two affluent couples in Europe, it is nothing of the kind. The book's real subject is deception, the ways in which we fool ourselves and others in order to cope with life.

Though he is a man who would describe himself as forthright, Dowell is, in fact, one of literature's most unreliable narrators. As such, he weaves an elaborate tapestry out of selective perception and self-delusion. The book reveals its random truths slowly, incrementally, but relentlessly, as Dowell begins to get less and less able to fool himself about the signs he, sometimes willfully, sometimes not, misreads.

There is no real dialog in this novel, every word of which is filtered through John Dowell's consciousness. That makes the audiobook performer's characterization of Dowell critical to the listener's full appreciation of the author's work. While some readers may find that Kerry Shale's interpretation makes him sound a bit too much the uncomplicated naïve blockhead, others will weigh that against the finely controlled passion that Shale does know to now and again bring to the surface.

By Francine Levitov   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Jane Austen. The Watsons/Sanditon. Read by Anna Bentinck. 2010. 4 CDs. 4 hrs. 29 mins. Naxos Audiobooks. 978-962-634-281-7.

One might wonder why Naxos would choose to publish two unfinished works by Jane Austen, but speculation fades fast as the tales unfold. The Watsons is an early work begun in 1804 but abandoned. Sanditon, started in the final year of Austen's life, was never completed. Still, both are rich enough to further attest to Austen's astute awareness of the mores of her time, and to the characters and dialogue that are the hallmark of her mannered but often wickedly entertaining satires.

Love and marriage are the themes of both novels, particularly the desire to make, if not a happy marriage, at least a profitable one. Some of the titled young men are memorably buffoonish in their affections and affectations. The objects of their desire are a wonderful mix of gentility and double-dealing. In both instances, the novels are cut off before the plot has gone much beyond the expository stage. And yet, there's entertainment here, enlivened by the adroit fully vocalized reading of the talented actress, Anna Bentinck.

By Francine Levitov   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

By Joanna Theiss   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Hampton Sides. Hellhound on his Trail. The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International hunt for His assassin. Read by the author. 12 CDs. 15 hrs. Books on Tape. 2010. 978-0-3077-1411-4. Library Edition.

In a parallel universe, where the tragic killing of Martin Luther King, Jr. never happened, Hellhound On His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin could be a masterful work of fictional suspense. Hampton Sides describes the last days of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s life, side-by-side with those of his killer, James Earl Ray, as he methodically stalks and eventually shoots the civil rights leader while King stood on his hotel balcony in Memphis. Sides clearly researched and plotted out each minute detail of this work, and his reliance on FBI files, recollections of Ray's associates and King's closest colleagues, as he mentions in his beginning notes, keeps this story true to historical events. Sides' exhaustive research, combined with his panache as a storyteller, rounds out this tragic tale, which, if it weren't an event permanently etched in the minds of all Americans, would seem to be straight out of a political action thriller. True to the suspense genre, Sides builds up the moment of King's death and Ray's capture to the point of breath-quickening intensity. This is the sort of story that will make you ride two extra stops on the subway without noticing.

Sides, who is a best-selling author and a Memphis native, utilizes many devices to heighten this nonfiction work. My favorite is the technique of referring to Ray only as his alias when describing the action when Ray had taken on that identity. Sides' credentials as a nonfiction writer—Ghost Soldiers, about the Bataan death march during World War II, won the PEN USA award in 2002—are evident in this well-crafted narrative.

Hampton Sides' slight Southern accent adds to his reading of Hellhound On His Trail, and he distinguishes between characters' voices well. His vocalization of James Earl Ray is particularly chilling, true to that person. Sides' reading can be jerky at times, with odd pauses, as if he is not sure of how to say the next word (an irregularity which is more noticeable since he is reading his own work). Nevertheless, Sides' reading cannot take away from this masterful tale

By Carol Kellerman   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Louise Erdrich. Shadow Tag. Read by Coleen Marlo. 5 CDs. 5.75 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. 978-1-4407-6723-4. Library Edition.

Coleen Marlo's fine reading captures all the emotion of a tale portraying a family spiraling out of control toward disaster. She is outstanding rendering the voices of the three children. They see themselves as powerless in facing their mother's increasing dependence on alcohol, and their father's reaction becoming increasingly more violent as he realizes that his wife no longer loves him and truly wants to leave him.

The structure of Aldrich's novel is to switch from the entries in the two diaries to a third person narrative. Marlo deftly makes this transition with her voice and appropriate emotional level to form the tale of a family for whom domestic happiness is illusive and tragedy seems inevitable.

By Joseph DiMercurio   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Philip Jose Farmer. Dark is the Sun. Read by Rebecca Rogers. 12 CDs. 14.5 hrs. Blackstone Audio. 1979/2010. 978-1-4417-2346-8. Library Edition.

Sometimes the lights all shinin' on me; other times I can barely see. Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip it's been. (Truckin: The Grateful Dead).

Fifteen billion years from now the Earth is in a very different place. The sun has died and the universe is collapsing. Ancient tales foretell doom. A band of travelers brought together when their soul eggs are stolen are on a quest to retrieve their lives, a journey that may be Earth's last hope before it succumbs to oblivion. Civilizations have risen and crashed. Sentience has been spread across the phylum with the most surprising outcomes. In a world populated like a medieval bestiary, can this motley group of two humans, a Yawtl, a plant man and a cat and a dog survive, let alone make a difference?

Join the quest across landscapes both familiar and strange, but unerringly dangerous. Pass through wild savage lands where yesterday's science blends with today's magic and superstition. This is a quixotic journey, with only existence at stake.

Three-time Hugo Award winner, Philip Jose Farmer is best known for his Riverworld Series. He is a pioneer in the exploration of sexual and religious themes in Science Fiction. Unlike many of Farmer's other works this book is a standalone epic. Reader Rebecca Rogers takes on the wide range of characters that Farmer creates and, from plant man to Yawtl, she gives the travelers voice.

By Janet Julian   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*P.F. Chisholm. A Murder of Crows. A Sir Robert Carey Mystery. Read by Steven Crossley. 8 CDs. 10 hrs. Blackstone Audio. 2010. 978-1-4417-4281-0. Library Edition.

A Murder of Crows is book 5 in the Robert Carey series of crime novels set in Elizabethan England, preceded by A Famine of Horses (1994), A Season of Knives (1995), A Surfeit of Guns (1996), and A Plague of Angels (1998). Her many fans will not be disappointed in this mystery solidly based in history.

Robert Carey, 1st Earl of Monmouth (1560-1639), was the youngest son of Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon (Chamberlain and first cousin of Queen Elizabeth I) and Anne Morgan, daughter of Sir Thomas Morgan and cousin of Henry Morgan, the famous privateer. He is assisted by Lance Sergeant Henry Dodd who has served under Carey in Carlisle. As a Scot, Dodd is used to fighting, revenge, feuds, and law suits. The mystery begins when a bloated corpse washes up at the Queen's steps. The body has no feet, burned finger tips, and a knife wound in the back. However, the victim was alive when thrown into the Thames. Chained by the feet, which subsequently tore off, the unknown man drowned.

Another mystery involves the identity of a Catholic priest hanged, drawn and quartered. Sir Thomas Heneage, the Queen's Vice Chamberlain, is in the habit of torturing and killing at will. He has also had Sergeant Dodd arrested and beaten by mistake. Dodd institutes a civil suit but at first can find no lawyer to take his case against the powerful and dangerous Heneage. A knowledgeable but soft-spoken barrister offers to take the case. Who is this mysterious barrister?

Another plot strand involves a land scam. Someone is selling real estate by claiming the ground contains gold. Powerful people at court have been taken by this land piracy in Cornwall. Will Shakespeare, an agent of Sir Robert Cecil, is on hand as is Kit Marlowe, homosexual, atheist, government spy, drunk and playwright. Lady Hunsdon is herself on hand, an imposing figure not to be denied. She is not exactly a pirate, having a letter from the Queen which allows her and her shipful of nonpirates to raid at will. Dodd and Carey investigate these and other complications, ending in a raid on one of Heneage's closely guarded houses to rescue two women, one of whom is about to give birth.

Chisholm's novel is narrated by Steven Crossley, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He is celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic as an actor and audiobook narrator. He has been an Audie nominee. He has appeared in innumerable theater, television, film, and radio dramas. His presentation here is noteworthy, especially his sure way with accents (Scots, Spanish, British) and his female characters. Highly recommended to fans of a carefully researched and craftily plotted historical mystery.

By Hugh M. Flick   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Anthony Hope. The Prisoner Zenda. Read by Andrew Pugsley 5 CDs. 5.5 hrs. Naxos Audiobooks. 1894/2010. 978-962-634-135-3. Trade Edition.

The Prisoner of Zenda is a timeless adventure tale of intrigue and honor written in 1894. As the result of a family indiscretion in the past, Rudolph Rassendyll, the narrator hero of this classic tale, is not only related by blood to the royal line of Ruritania but he bears a striking resemblance to the young Ruritanian crown prince who is about to be crowned King. Curious to see Ruritania, Rudolph arrives just as the crown prince is abducted by the prince's evil brother. Rudolph is talked into impersonating the crown prince while the crown prince's friends try to rescue him. Meanwhile, Rudolph fall in love with the crown prince's cousin who is expected to marry the crown prince after the coronation.

This is a well known tale which has been filmed at least six times since 1913. This audio book is in a class all its own. Andrew Pugsley's semi-voiced reading is excellent. Primarily a stage and radio drama actor, he knows how to deliver heroic speeches. His large number of accents and his narrative timing bring out the suspense and the excitement of this thrilling tale.

By Janet Julian   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*Charles Dickens. Martin Chuzzlewit. Read by Sean Barrett. 26 CDs. 33.5 hrs. Naxos Audiobooks. 2010. 978–962–634–983-0. Trade Edition.

One of Charles Dickens' most satiric novels, Martin Chuzzlewit was published serially from 1843 to 1844. In fact there are two Martin Chuzzlewits in the novel, one an old rich man who is grandfather of the main character, young Martin. The clan is an old one, as Dickens indicates in the first sentence. And a large, greedy and grasping clan it is, to be sure. Old Martin is stalked by various hopeful relatives waiting for him to die and leave them his vast fortune. He is naturally suspicious, therefore, of his namesake, young Martin.

The old man likes to be in charge of everything and thinks his grandson would be a fine match with his ward, Mary Graham, a sweet girl who has his complete trust. Martin falls in love with her without his grandfather's permission and the two men quarrel bitterly. Thus young Martin stomps off to become an apprentice to a relative, Seth Pecksniff, who will teach him architecture. This Pecksniff is an insufferable hypocrite. He has two daughters who are spoiled and willful. Also employed by Pecksniff is one Tom Pinch, an innocent, mild-mannered and thoroughly generous spirit. As Friederich von Schiller one wrote, "A beautiful soul has no other merit than its own existence." Tom Pinch is just such a soul and has a sister Ruth, just as admirable. She is a governess to an arrogant family in London who treat her as a lowly servant.

Old Martin, to test his grandson's heart, lets him be thrown out of Pecksniff's school and travel to America to seek his fortune. He is accompanied by Mark Tapley, late of the Blue Dragon Inn, who desires adventure and the chance to exercise his good humor and patience in adversity. And adversity they find. They fall into a land scam and travel to the new settlement called Eden, which is nothing but a few rough huts in a swamp. Fever is everywhere and Martin becomes desperately ill, nursed by a family whose three children eventually die. After he recovers Mark falls ill and Martin learns, while nursing him, to be less selfish and self-centered. After a year, chastened and changed, Martin returns to England hoping to deserve his grandfather's love. The old man has been staying with Pecksniff and seems to be under that blackguard's complete control. Back in England family members have been involved in an insurance scam which leads to murder. Many more characters and plot lines converge in a satisfying ending. Memorable characters include a drunken nurse Sarah Gamp, a barber Poll Sweedlepipe, a cousin Chevy Slyme, and a nephew Jonas Chuzzlewit.

Even at a lengthy 33 and a half hours, you will want the book to go on and on, so engaging are the humorous and dramatic moments. America comes in for a shellacking for being a greedy, boastful country full of tin-horn politicians, swindlers, and freedom-loving slave owners. Excerpts from this novel were probably not on the program during Dickens' reading tours in America. The novel is dramatized by Sean Barrett, British actor of stage, television, and voice work including audio books. Listeners will find it hard to believe that only one voice is presenting the story, so well does he create the many and varied characters. His Americans are twangy and his Brits speak in many dialects. His female characters are notable, especially the boozy Sarah Gamp. Poll Sweedlepipe sound like the birds he keeps. Barrett's performance is magnificent. Highly recommended.

By Jodi Israel   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Joanne Fluke. Plum Pudding Murder. A Hannah Swensen Mystery. Read by Suzanne Toren. 8 CDs. 9.25 hrs. Recorded Books. 2009. 978-1-4261-8979-8. Library edition.

Fluke, Joanne. Apple Turnover murder. A Hannah Swensen Mystery with Recipes. Read by Suzanne Toren. 8 CDs. 8 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. 978-1-4407-6960-3. Library Edition.

Beware! Don't listen while hungry.

In the latest Hannah Swenson murder mysteries, Hannah's habit of stumbling over dead bodies has given her a new motto, life is improved by an infusion of chocolate. She puts the motto to the test early and often. In the Christmas-themed Plum Pudding Murder, Hannah and Norman stumble across the dead body of a seemingly prominent yet shady business man. It turns out that he, too, was a great cook, but it wasn't food he was cooking. The second book, Apple Turnover Murder, takes place shortly after the first. The murder comes late in the story and Hannah is her own best suspect in the death of a college professor. Suzanne Toren's accent is solid Minnesotan and she even reads the recipes in character. (When another character has made a note on the recipe, she switches characters to read the note, a clever touch.) Hearing the recipes read aloud is rather mouthwatering. Food mystery fans will welcome these.

By Sue Rosenzweig   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Brunonia Barry. The Map of True places. Read by Alyssa Bresnahan. 10 CDs. 12.5 hrs. BBCAudiobooks America. 2010. 978-0-7927-7203-3. Library Edition.

The suicide of a patient of psychotherapist Zee Finch affects both her professional and personal life. To complicate matters, her father's Parkinson's condition is worsening and her relationship with her fiance is falling apart. Characters from The Lace Reader appear peripherally. Reading/listening to Barry's books is like peeling an onion, and here, all is not revealed until the very last pages. Alyssa Bresnahan is a dancer, actor, and audiobook narrator. She appeared as Stella in A Streetcar named Desire, as Nina in The Seagull and has appeared in stage productions of several Greek dramas. Her light, clear voice is always easy to listen to and suits the main character. She skillfully handles the dialects of New England. She allows the tension to build insuring that the listener's attention will not wander as the author weaves the many threads of the story.

By Mary Purucker   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Janet Evanovich. Sizzling Sixteen. A Stephanie Plum Novel. Read by Lorelei King. 7 CDs. 7 hrs. Macmillan audio. 2010. 978-1-4272-0967-2. Trade Edition.

Fans of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum only need to know that the cast of characters includes Plum the luscious accident prone Trenton New Jersey bounty hunter; Lula, fashionista, former 'ho and always hungry bond office woman of all work; Morelli, homicide detective and Plum's main man; Ranger, security expert, mentor, sometime employer, protector and a darkly dangerous romantic who keeps Stephanie supplied with cars when hers crash, explode, or burn up; Grandma Mazur with a penchant for toting a gun and going to viewings at the local funeral parlors; Vinnie the boss and Connie the office administrator. The only question that remains is what weird trouble will Plum and her cohorts get into this time?

Vinnie is held for ransom for his gambling debts and though no one can stand his perverted ways, his Grandma Plum and Aunt Mim will care if he ends up dead. So Plum, Connie and Lula are determined to help. Helping includes a six foot alligator guarding ill gotten cash, an assortment of gangsters, stink bombs, big time theft, a yard sale at the Bonds office, Hobbits, and the essential plot elements of Plum's life which include wrecking cars, trips to Cluck in a Bucket and mall stops for Lula's fashion needs. Oh yes—there is the mysterious lucky bottle that Uncle Pip left Stephanie in his will. Lorelei King may be only one person but she realistically creates all the diverse characters from the fairly normal sounding Plum to the raspy loud and hearty Lula. Listeners will never be able to imagine anyone else narrating the wild times of Stephanie and her friends. Entertaining listening at its best.

By Susan Allison   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Marla R. Miller. Betsy Ross and the Making of America. Read by Dana Green. 15 CDs. 19 hrs. Books on Tape. 2010. 978-0-3077-5061-7. Library Edition.

In telling the story of Elizabeth Griscom Ross Ashburn Claypoole (1752-1836), early American flag maker, Marla R. Miller undertakes an exhaustive study of all sources related to this colonial craftswoman and her times. Little in the way of primary sources exists to document Ross's life and work. Miller thoroughly investigates all available evidence -- family history, oral tradition, letters, and receipts and ledgers from the flag-making and upholstering trade -- to piece together Ross's life and her part among the working men and women who made America. Miller seeks to discover why historians for six decades viewed Ross as an early American housewife and homemaker, the woman who stitched the first American flag, rather than as accomplished and widely respected an artisan in the needle and upholstery trades, as Paul Revere was in the silver trade.

A "needlework prodigy" at an early age, Betsy learned the upholstery trade as an apprentice, and subsequently established with her husband, John Ross, a shop which provided her with a sixty-year career that supplied work and income for many members of her family as well. Her story sheds light on the thrice-widowed woman behind the patriotic pageantry offering an insider's personal view of revolutionary America. Through her eyes, listeners more easily visualize life in a colonial, artisan family,  violence and deprivation in Philadelphia during the war and its aftermath, the loss of family members to war and epidemic, the bitter controversies within the Quaker religion, the plight of aging women, and the changing nature of the furniture trades following the Revolution. This masterful audiobook integrates a wide variety of source material into a comprehensive, thought-provoking view of America's history.

Narrator Dana Green enables the story to come alive, because her voice is lively, as well as varied in tone and inflection. At times the listener hears her smiling as she recounts a humorous incident or an especially charming anecdote. Her success results from her theater background, including performances with the Shakespeare Festival of Canada, the Yale Repertory Theatre and the Old Globe Theatre. In 2006, Miller published another book on this subject entitled The Needle's Eye: Women and Work in the Age of Revolution.

By Mary Purucker   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*Nelson Demille. The Lion. Read by Scott Brick. 14 CDs. 15.5 hrs. Hachette Audio. 2010. 978-1-690788-220-6. Trade Edition.

Anyone who listened to Nelson DeMille's The Lion's Game will never forget the opening chapter. The passenger plane lands in New York and everyone aboard is dead including the pilot and co-pilot. Nor will they forget the icy hearted and mercilessly violent killer, Asad Khalil who is determined to revenge his family's deaths at the hands of American pilots in his homeland of Libya. John Corey, Federal Agent with the Anti-Terrorist Task Force, tracks him down only to have him escape.

Now in The Lion, Khalil is back to finish his torture and killing. (The tender eared will find the torture hard to listen to.) In order to reimburse Al Qaeda for his journey, he agrees to help commit a monumental act of terrorism as well. Among the first on his list are Jeff Corey and his wife, Kate. Against his will and better judgment, Corey has taken up skydiving to please Kate. In a terrifying sequence Asad follows Kate as she jumps from the plane and is sure he has cut her throat. Right behind him is Corey. And the action never stops. Khalil escapes and continues his mission, murdering even those who help him. Scott Brick is perfect once more — he is so good at Corey's sarcastic tone and his flip remarks. He expertly performs Kate's voice from her softer side to her firmer tones as well as Khalil's Libyan accent and a variety of New Yorkers. In an interview with the author and narrator, Scott Brick, included in this package, DeMille says Brick is the voice of John Corey. From the questions Brick asks, listeners will realize why he is so good at what he does—he really cares about what he is reading, does his homework, and wants to know as much as his audience does where the story comes from and will there be more to follow. Luckily, more novels are in the works.

By Rachel Claire   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*Traci Harding. Gene of Isis. Book One of the Mystique Trilogy. Read by Edwina Wren. 17 CDs. 19 hrs. Bolinda Audio. 2005.  978-1742-1472-46. Library Edition.   

Psychics, priestesses, secret societies and ancient mysteries abound in this thrilling mystery with a touch of romance, spanning thousands of years, with a storyline so close to “real” science and history that it almost seems not to be fantasy or science fiction. 

A marvelously engaging story, it begins with the journal of young Ashlee Granville, a 19th century clairvoyant child in upper class English society. As with all of the voices in the story, it written precisely and consistently in the language and culture of the times.  

Ashlee details her psychic development and events which immediately incite the reader’s involvement.  She is rescued from a fearful threat into a glorious education with a masterful psychic Countess, whose grandneice becomes Ashlee’s devoted friend throughout their long adventures. 

Nature spirits and spells that can connect one to them, interest Ashlee on the dawn of her social debut.  She finds a stone in which to place such a spell and requests contact with a spirit guide. The deep voice of the spirit who responds surprises her, a 13th century Sion knight named Albray. This handsome and devoted being is a major participant in the vast storyline. 

Lillet du Lac, 13th century priestess of the Cathars, an ancient mystical order, meets Albray as she escapes the hill fort of Montsegur, charged with bringing ancient artifacts to safekeeping in the Sinai. The reader meets Lillet through her journal. 

The story in present time focuses on Mia Montrose a 21st century Australian who does archeological field work. Her aunt recently gave her an inheritance which passes through the females in her family line, a trunk full of diaries and books.  It is Mia who is reading Ashlee’s journal. The temple in the Sinai where Lillet was bound, was also Ashlee’s destination. And an unexpected telephone call draws Mia to a job at the same site.  Mia learns that she is part of ancient powerful female lineage just as the forces which threatened her ancestors sets its malevolent sites on her as she begins to experience mysterious happenings and forces beyond her control. 

The Gene of Isis is a legacy which passes through the female parent within the lineage of the goddess Hathor, to the Grail princes and princesses who are of “The Blood”, descendents of the mythical marriage between Mary Magdalen and Christ Jesus. Many myths are woven into known historical situations in this book, with an amazing feeling of accuracy, though slightly altered from the normally considered context. Though this “sacred blood" is part of the foundation of the plot, there are many more exciting adventures, metaphysical concepts, archeological and scientific research which go into the well designed and excitingly rendered adventure. 

Reader Edwina Wren presents voices from the 13th, 19th and 21st century, in accents ranging from common European and Romanian, Bedouin, the serene voice of Grail Priestesses and the deeply troubled villain whose “undead” existence  spans many hundreds of years. This excellent performance so enhances the story that reading the book in the silence of page-turning is unthinkable, when compared to hearing the culture and voices of the characters through Wren’s artistry.  

Entirely appropriate is the entre-act music which resonates with the spirit and mystique of the story. Also included on the CD set is a read-aloud glossary of terms, which gives the definitions for many of the scientific and metaphysical concepts which are part of the story. 

This truly excellent production is worthy of at least two listenings, and will remain in this reviewer’s library along with its forthcoming sister-works.

By Carol Reich   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Lois McMaster Bujold. Horizon. The Sharing Knife, Volume 4. Read by Bernadette Dunne. 13 CDs. 15.5 hrs. Blackstone Audio, Inc. 2009. 978-1-4332-3593-1. Library Edition.

This is the final volume in Bujold's Sharing Knife fantasy tetralogy, where she set out to explore the intersection between the romance and fantasy genres. Horizon finds our central couple, Lakewalker Dag and his Farmer bride, Fawn, trying to locate a teacher to take Dag in and help him to learn the intricacies of his new work as a healer. Between being a Farmer/Lakewalker couple and being hampered by Dag's determination to do healing work on Fawn's people as well as his own - a very radical idea in his Lakewalker world - they have trouble finding a healer who will help guide him. And once they do begin to get settled in a Lakewalker camp with Arcady, an excellent instructor, it's only to find that their social mis-match causes too much friction once again and they are forced to head back out on the trail toward the northlands where Fawn and Dag met and were wed, and where Fawn was first immersed in the immense danger of the fight against malices. Malices are evil creatures deadly to man, beast and even the land itself, drawing all life and energy, known as 'ground' to the Lakewalkers, from whatever they touch. The Lakewalkers, who create their magic with their ability to both see and manipulate ground, are highly dismissive of the Farmers who can neither see nor use the lifeforce, but both Dag and Fawn understand that in order to successfully fight the malices and move their society forward in an ever more crowded landscape, the two groups would do well to learn to work together to guard against and battle their common enemy. They set off with a small group, including Arcady, and start up a wagon train, only to find their journey blocked by a powerful malice the like of which has never been seen, forcing their group into a desperate battle and perilously endangering the lives of Dag, Fawn and their unborn child.

Dunne's narration is good, with all of the large cast of characters given distinctive voices. She uses variations in tone and pitch, paired with a 'down-home country' delivery where appropriate among the more rural characters, thus Fawn sounds fresh-faced, breathy and young while her much-older spouse, Dag, has a low, raspy voice. The only flaw is that Dunne does not drop out of character for the 'he saids,' a minor issue in an otherwise solid performance. Note that the series needs to be listened to in order.

By Nola Theiss   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Jennifer Steil. The Woman who Fell from the Sky. An American Journalist in Yemen. Adventures in the Oldest City on Earth. Read by the author. 10 CDs. 11.5 hrs. Tantor Media. 2010. 978-1-4001-1723-9. Trade Edition.

When Jennifer Steil went to Yemen in 2006 to teach a journalism class to reporters at the Yemen Observer Newspaper, she was prepared for some culture shock. She was not prepared to fall in love with the city of Sana'a, Yemen's capital and its people, but she did. When she was asked to take over the editorship of the newspaper for one year, she did and was met with reporters who both valued her guidance and struggled with her expectations, especially that the newspaper remain neutral, as the publisher worked for the President. The paper ran afoul of the Muslim interests when it printed the infamous Danish Mohammed cartoons, and she was imprisoned and put on trial. She also fell in love – with the Yemen culture, her reporters, especially the women who struggled to have careers in a male-dominated culture and she found it difficult to leave to return to New York. This was exacerbated by the fact that she fell in love with the British ambassador to Yemen. The fact that the story is narrated by the author and so is read with the confidence and self-knowledge of this amazing woman really adds to the story. Her insights will make Yemen, which seems so very foreign to most Westerners, very real and fascinating.

By Catherine Healey   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Helen Simonson. Major Pettigrew's Last Stand. Read by Peter Altschuler. 11 CDs. 13 hrs. Books on Tape. 2010. 978-0-3077-1286-8. Library Edition.

Major Ernest Pettigrew is a self-described dusty old relic, comfortably settled in Edgecombe St. Mary, a small, sleepy village of thatched cottages in the English countryside that is on the verge of change. A retired military man who places vast importance on tradition, honor, and duty, he is often confounded by modern manners, his ambitious son, and multicultural society. Although born in Lahore, there is no question that he is British to the core. Mrs. Jasmina Ali, the village's shopkeeper of Pakistani descent, is a woman of great understanding and quiet strength. Despite being British born and raised, her heritage and occupation have prevented her from being embraced by the villagers as one of their own.

At first glance, the major and the shopkeeper have little in common—other than having each lost a spouse—given their 10 year age difference and dissimilar life experiences, personalities, and ethnic and religious backgrounds. Yet appearances can be deceiving, as is the case in this humorous, charming story.

Friendship grows as the Major and Mrs. Ali discover their mutual love of classic literature, a proper cup of tea, and the civilized rituals of their younger years. As they attempt to live peaceful, uneventful lives, each is regularly subjected to the manipulations of their families, particularly from the younger generation—he by his condescending, social climbing son Roger, she by her intense, brooding nephew Abdul Wahid. Each responds to these well-meaning, misguided youth in their own manipulative way.

Irony and dry British wit abound as the Major and Mrs. Ali interact with family and village inhabitants who freely speak their minds on all matters and act accordingly. The resulting clashes of culture, class, generations, and ideas provide unusual twists and turns as the characters explore moving beyond the practicality of compromise to find love, happiness, and fulfillment. Will they have the courage to take a stand against convention and act from the heart?

Anglophiles and fiction lovers will be drawn to this fresh new voice for an amusing look at contemporary life. The smart dialogue and descriptive passages are delightfully narrated in a full range of British, Pakistani, and American accents by Peter Altschuler, a veteran storyteller with print, television, stage, and audio recording experience. His cultured voice is music to the ears, particularly as he enunciates the unique Anglo pronunciations of words such as tomato and aluminum.

By Sue Rosenzweig   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Gayle Lynds. The Book of Spies. Read by Kate Reading. 12 CDs. 14.5 hrs. Blackstone Audio. 2010. 978-1-4417-2689-6. Library Edition.

Eva Blake is a rare book expert who has spent two years in prison for a drunk driving incident that left her husband dead. Suddenly Tucker Anderson, a CIA undercover agent, in return for helping him to track down the Library of Gold, offers her her freedom. There are plots within plots as the story progresses, with surprises at every turn. It is exciting and dramatic, as an art theft is interlaced with a story of revenge. Reading is an award-winning narrator and actor. A company member at Woolly Mammoth Theatre, she has appeared on many other stages. Her performance is a mixed bag; the Irish accents are good as are the distinctions between older and younger characters and she expresses emotions, especially anger, very convincingly. Other accents, such as South African, which sounds Australian, are weak and not always consistent. The end of the story is followed by a lengthy and fascinating piece in which the author traces the very real history of the Library of Gold.

By Francine Levitov   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*Scott Turow. Innocent. Read by Edward Herrmann and Orlagh Cassidy. 2010. 12CDs. 14hrs. Hachette Audio. 978-1-60024-921-1. Retail edition.

Turow's blockbuster murder mystery, Presumed Innocent, the first of many written by the author/lawyer, was published twenty-three years ago. Although some of the characters in this memorable psychological courtroom thriller (also a very successful film starring Harrison Ford) have reappeared in subsequent novels, it has taken until now for Turow to publish a full-blown sequel.

Former prosecutor Rusty Sabich may have risen to become a chief justice on the appellate bench, but his morals, if not his ethics, can still be compromised by an attractive, intelligent woman. Former colleague Tommy Molto is now head of the prosecutor's office, but he has neither forgotten nor forgiven Sabich for the evidence-tampering allegations under which he has labored ever since Sabich's acquittal for the murder of Carolyn Polhemus.

Barbara Sabich, is back too, still gifted, bipolar, and agoraphobic, her marriage to Rusty having survived its storm of a score of years before, but only just. We don't see her for long, however. Her sudden death at the beginning of this novel is first ruled due to natural causes, but Molto will have none of that. This time, Tommy wants to nail Sabich, for once and for all. Local legendary lawyer, Sandy Stern, undergoing chemotherapy as the story opens, has enough fight in him left to take on the trial and his terminal cancer simultaneously.

Well written, deftly plotted, fully characterized, with more twists than a barrel of pretzels, Turow's novel will remind listeners how he first expanded the American courtroom mystery genre to incorporate procedural realism and authentic, if flawed, legal heroes and villains. Narrators Herrmann and Cassidy give quality fully vocalized readings, making listeners want to tackle this in one sitting. You won't need to have ever read the first in order to enjoy the second. But do both, and take them in order, if only just to double your pleasure.

By Pat Dole   Wed, Sep 01, 2010

Miranda Carter. George, Nicholas and Wilhelm. Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I. Read by Rosalyn Landor. 17 CDs. 21 hrs. Books on Tape. 2010. 978-0-3077-1449-7. Library Edition.

In her scintillating portrait of the era in Europe between the late nineteenth century and the aftermath of World War I and the lives of the Kaiser, the Tsar, and the King, Miranda Carter draws deeply on personal correspondence among the royals, their courtiers, ministers, generals, and friends and gives fresh insight into the countries and their rulers. Although all three cousins believed themselves to be well meaning toward their nations and truly entitled to their royal powers and lavish ways of life, they had no understanding of the vast social changes demanding to take place. Their cluelessness, incompetence, and greed is painfully and sadly evident throughout. Only George V managed to adapt well enough to keep his throne, but even then he was mainly a figurehead. Rosalyn Landor's narrative is crisp and beautifully enunciated, and she seems to delight in assuming the haughty, pontificating, autocratic tones of the correspondents, particularly Kaiser Willy. There are many excerpts from Queen Victoria's writing as well. The book is long and extremely detailed, but listeners don't need to be history buffs to find it enjoyable and instructive.

Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*Alexander McCall Smith. Corduroy Mansions. Read by Simon Prebble. 9 CDs. 11.75 hrs. Recorded Books. 2010. 978-1-4407-5004-5. Library Edition.

Corduroy mansions (originally serialized in the UK Daily Telegraph newspaper) is an imagined special small apartment building in the comfortable, quaint district of Pimlico in London. McCall-Smith visits each of the flats and their residents and, as always charmingly, relates trials and tribulations between them and others. The vignettes are amusing, poignant, very real, and occasionally even outrageously funny. William French is an insecure, bumbling middle-aged, knowledgeable wine merchant who wants his flat to himself but can't seem to unload his 24-year-old, free-loading son Eddie who doesn't work, is only a taker, and is in general obnoxious. William's friend caterer (i.e. cook) Marcia (who sees William as husband material) suggests he get a dog, as Eddie happens to hate dogs; so William adopts Freddie de la Hay, a very special dog. Another flat is occupied by 4 youngish working women, one of whom is the secretary to an absolutely awful, tactless, thoughtless Lib Dem Member of Parliament appropriately named Oedipus Snark. Snark is so awful his mother, a psychiatrist, is writing his biography to totally vent her justifiable disenchantment with even her own son. Yet another character who heads up a successful literary agency that uses the daily char as a reader of manuscripts (she has a special knack) views him as husband material until, finally, she doesn't. This is escapist fare of the best sort, designed to bring a smile, even a laugh out loud reaction and even a tear now and then, and McCall Smith succeeds brilliantly. The accomplished audio reader British born Simon Prebble succeeds brilliantly with the light mood, tone, pace and timing as he gently voices all the men, women, up and down the social scale, even with an Eastern accented resident as well. His broad stage and televison acting experience makes this truly special. Listeners will eagerly await the sequel.

Wed, Sep 01, 2010

*James Shapiro. Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? Read by Wanda McCaddon. 2010. 9 CDs. 11 hrs. 30 mins. Tantor Media Audiobooks. 978-140-016-648-0.

Acclaimed scholar James Shapiro traces the Shakespeare controversy from its inception, some 200 years after Shakespeare's death through the authorship arguments proposed today on Google and Wikipedia. Shapiro sets out to entertain as well as instruct and does both remarkably well in this superbly organized, pitch perfect text, loaded with facts and historical anecdotes. Listeners on either side of the debate will have much to think about, while those with no position at all will enjoy the absurdity of some of the arguments and the sophistication of many of the others.

Shapiro makes his position clear. He believes that Shakespeare wrote his own work for the simple reason that his contemporaries had no doubt of it. But he is fair-minded enough not to let his opinion taint his survey. All of the great minds (along with those of lesser quality) took sides on whether an uneducated man from Stratford upon Avon could have emerged suddenly upon the London scene to become in short order the most celebrated writer in the English language. The cast of the naysayers is star-studded. And it's interesting, if not downright amusing, to learn that Mark Twain, for example, the most highly paid writer of his time with little to no formal education of his own, believed so strongly that Shakespeare could not have overcome his humble origins to write so beautifully of things he'd never actually seen or done as to completely convince Helen Keller of it, whose singular literary achievements belied the limitations of her own blindness and deafness.  What is it that makes this controversy still matter so much to so many?  Shapiro lets us in on that too.

Wanda McCaddon has a musical, highly expressive voice and keeps the pace moving briskly. In every way, this audiobook is a feast!