September
2009
AUDIO BOOK REVIEWS
by Jonathan Lowe
THE ANGEL'S GAME by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
is a puzzling novel set in 1920s Barcelona,
about a poor writer named David Martin,
whose patron becomes famous while he himself
languishes at the end of a leash, so to
speak. When a commission comes to write
a book that may prove dangerous, David
is soon suspected of several murders,
which he may or may not have committed
himself. As teller of the tale, Martin
is both comical and a bit sinister, in
a balancing act which must be decided
by the reader or hearer, thereby providing
the suspense. Much atmosphere and fine
writing complement the mix, with stage
actor Dan Stevens presenting the audio
rendition in a manner suited to the complicated
narrative arc of the story. Thumbs up.
(Random House Audio; 15 1/2 hours unabridged) |
In EVERYTHING MATTERS! by Ron Currie,
Jr. the problem for the protagonist Junior
Thibodeax is to discover meaning and a
reason to go on living in a world which
he knows will end on a certain date just
36 years from his birth. The mysterious
voice that tells him this secret also
reveals other things about his family,
about disease, about violence. Junior
cracks under the strain, but manages to
eke out a life amid the gathering ashes
funneling down from his subconscious.
There is a lot to tackle here, by this
award winning author of
God Is Dead, and the multiple
viewpoints can be tedious at times, but
the ending is great, with its backward
countdown. Hope, in this offbeat novel,
is a last lifeline thrown into the void.
Narrators are Abby Craden, Mark Deakins,
Lincoln Hoppe, Hilary Huber, Arthur Morey
and Doug Wert. (Penguin Audio; 13 hours
unabridged) |
Next, have an intriguing Paris adventure
listening to non-fiction set in the romantic
city of lights, with VANISHED SMILE—THE
MYSTERIOUS THEFT OF MONA LISA, by R.A.
Scotti, read by Kathe Mazur. This is the
true story of the shocking disappearance
of what would become the most famous painting
in the world. The theft, which occurred
at a time of lax security in August of
1911, would be blamed on none other than
the young Pablo Picasso, and on provocateur
Guillaume Apollinaire. But who really
did it, and how? The answer is surprising.
During the nearly two year absence of
Da Vinci's masterpiece from the Louvre,
French detectives investigated the case,
using newly developed fingerprinting techniques.
Author Scotti delineates the mood of the
public at the time, offering glimpses
into the backstory of the principals and
suspects. Of particular fascination are
the lifestyles of painters working in
Paris, going back to a traveling Da Vinci
himself. Explored, too, is the beguiling
nature of this nearly perfect (yet odd)
portrait of a Florentine woman, whose
subtle smile hides secrets of her own.
(Random House Audio; 7 hours unabridged) |
Finally, we all know about the French
paradox when it comes to food, but what
about everything else? An intriguing new
book on the subject of love and life (including
mindset) is WHAT FRENCH WOMEN KNOW by
Debra Ollivier, a freelance journalist
who lives in Paris and Los Angeles. She
says that the French secret to happiness
in and out of bed is simply not to care
about the things American women usually
do. Like being forever young. Or being
rich and popular. There is no war of the
sexes in France because French women do
not expect men to understand them, nor
do they berate them. They love men, just
as men love them. (Vive la difference!)
They are the opposite of American women
in that they place more value on enjoying
the present moment instead of fixating
on the past or the future, on acceptance
over resistance to aging, and on the art
of love over the stereotypically American
obsession with following dating rules,
(or doing what everyone else is doing).
In short, French women don't give a damn
what others think of them, they are too
busy living their lives. Want more shock?
Being ambitious, or having money and possessions,
comes in last place on their list of desires.
But if you're fat in France, don't expect
people not to notice and to comment on
it. They won't be commenting behind your
back, either, because being fat is the
one real taboo, unlike in America, where
big is considered best, and practically
everyone gulps their food instead of savoring
it. Narrated by the author, who does her
best with what at times reads like literary
essays, the book is nonetheless a real
eye-opener or ear-opener, full of many
borrowed sayings like "American men marry
women hoping they'll never change, while
American women marry men hoping they will
change. . .both are disappointed." Or:
"Animals (and Americans) eat, while the
French dine." The French way is not the
only way to live, obviously, but it is
definitely more relaxed, without all the
ridiculous obsessions we are constantly
instructed to add to our list of hang-ups.
A French woman? She would rather laugh
and say, "who cares?" or simply "Bof!"
(Penguin Audio; 5 1/2 hours unabridged) |
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