Four Seasons in Rome

Anthony Doerr (ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE) sounds charming and genuine, and it's simply a joy to spend a few hours listening to him recount his adventures in Rome and with new fatherhood. Doerr wins a writing fellowship that allows him and his family to spend a year in Rome. He struggles with writing and sleeping but is fascinated by Pliny, art, ancient architecture, parrots, clear blue skies, and all manner of things. The tone of panic in his voice comes through clearly when his wife is hospitalized and his newly learned Italian is insufficient. Doerr provides a palpable tone of wonder as his twin boys learn to crawl and walk and yank out the power cords. This is a beautiful, poetic, and almost musical production both in terms of its language and its narration. Listeners will want to get out maps and travel guides and plan their own adventures. A.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine