The Big Money

[EDITOR'S NOTE: The following is a combined review of 1919 and THE BIG MONEY.]--Dos Passos's U.S.A. trilogy, written in the 1930s, looks at the differences between the rich and the non-rich, showing the contrasts in their lives. The author's montage style of writing blends narrative, bits and pieces from newspapers, songs, and more. Narrator David Drummond provides a unique delivery that manages to combine these disparate elements into a coherent reading. As the narrative shifts from one character to another, Drummond maintains a continuity of style yet alters his voice just enough so that the dialogue is distinctive. Drummond's narration is a benchmark for difficult narrations. K.M. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine