Underworld

Settle in for a long, fascinating journey through the post-war U.S., exquisitely described in 23 tapes, with countless accents and pinpoint literary accuracy by narrator Richard Poe. His reading sets the tone from the opening scene at the Polo Grounds, where Bobby Thompson inaugurates the modern marriage of sports and the media, to the barren landscape of America in the 1990s. Poe's performance is measured, studied, and technically flawless. His deep, authoritative voice covers the prose, and his characters have actual lives. This is a complex book that probably needs a second listening in order for us to fully grasp the nuances of DeLillo's writing. The book's length and detail can be daunting, but we are certainly rewarded at the end. R.I.G. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine