海角大神

In this month鈥檚 audiobook roundup, Mildred D. Taylor (鈥淩oll of Thunder, Hear My Cry鈥�) returns with the conclusion of the Logan family鈥檚 saga, Colum McCann pens a literary exploration of friendship between enemies, Paul Freedman takes us on an entertaining and erudite tour of American cuisines, and Therese Anne Fowler offers a novel on American class disparity.

鈥淎ll the Days Past, All the Days to Come鈥� by Mildred D. Taylor
Read by Allyson Johnson; Listening Library; 14 hours and 30 minutes

In her tenth book, Mildred D. Taylor continues the story of the Logan family, who many readers will remember from 鈥淩oll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.鈥� More intense and dramatic than her earlier work, this installment is aimed at grown-ups and mature teens; the material is quite adult. Cassie Logan, now 19, embarks on a life adventure that brings her across America, to law school, civil rights protests, marriage, and eventually back to Mississippi, where the Logan saga began more than 45 years ago. Narrator Allyson Johnson is a delight to hear as she serves up a variety of voices, timbres, genres, and regional accents. An intense and gratifying story. Grade: A

鈥淎peirogon鈥� by Colum McCann
Read by the author; Random House Audio; 15 hours

Colum McCann, known for his graceful bestseller 鈥淟et the Great World Spin,鈥� has again created an extraordinarily eloquent piece 鈥� though it does sometimes trip up the narrative flow when you hear that a biker 鈥渟almons his way鈥� through traffic. Nevertheless, 鈥淎peirogon鈥� is imaginative and thought-provoking. In this novel, two men build a friendship based on the pain of lost children, even though one is Israeli and the other Palestinian and they have diametrically opposed world views. McCann, who was born in Ireland, is a polished narrator whose empathy and understanding of misery can be continuously felt. Even more intriguing is that the story is based on real people. Grade: A

鈥淎merican Cuisine: And How It Got This Way鈥� by Paul Freedman
Read by Paul Heitsch; HighBridge Audio; 14 hours

Though this nonfiction book is essentially a culinary tour through American history, it remains ridiculously interesting. Dining guides, community cookbooks, fashionable delicacies, ethnic recipes, and fast food provide excellent narrative fodder 鈥� and Paul Freedman even offers the occasional recipe. 鈥淎merican Cuisine鈥� has broad appeal thanks to its humorous tone and intriguing insights, especially when it comes to his investigation of the explosion of ethnic food options in 1980s America. Narrator Paul Heitsch has a pleasant voice, executes the jokes, and keeps the pace snappy. Grade: B+

鈥淎 Good Neighborhood鈥� by Therese Anne Fowler
Read by Ella Turenne; Macmillan Audio; 10 hours and 30 minutes

Neighbors clash, revenge is sought, sides are chosen, and participants have their own viewpoint of the unfolding drama in this contemporary novel. Though it鈥檚 easy to get caught up in the gossip, one can鈥檛 help wincing at clich茅d characters. The material is sometimes adult and often serious. It should have been paired with a narrator that could help carry the weight. Unfortunately, Ella Turenne sounds young and callow and is not adept at altering her voice for different characters. This is a difficult listen, but not for the right reasons. Grade: B-