Snow Falling on Cedars

September 12, 1994
This poetic novel beautifully captures the painful legacy of war and a community's struggle to deal with that pain. Shortly after WWII, fisherman Carl Heine is found dead in the waters off San Pedro, an island of ``damp souls'' off the coast of Washington State. Accused of his murder is fellow fisherman Kabuo Miyomoto, a member one of the many families of Japanese descent on the island. All of the island's inhabitants are gripped by the murder trial, but none more so than Ishmael Chambers, a local reporter who lost his arm in the Pacific theater, and Hutsue Imada, Kabuo's wife and Ishmael's former lover. First-novelist Guterson, a contributing editor at Harper's and author of the short-story collection The Country Ahead of Us, the Country Behind, pays meticulous attention to the legal intricacies of Kabuo's trial. His greater purpose, however, and one that he achieves with skill and grace, is an investigation of racism, the nature of justice and the ``same human frailty passed from generation to generation.'' This is a luxurious book, whose finely detailed evocation of its small-town setting effectively draws the reader to consider its larger issues.

When reading SNOW FALLING ON CEDARS originally, I had said to myself: "What a marvelous book!" But it was only after listening to Peter Marinker's recording for Sterling Audio that I discovered how much I'd missed, how much better it is than I realized. Marinker's skill fully illuminates the beauty and power of the author's language. Throughout, he paints pictures with his voice until scene after scene emerges, strong and clear. His superb narration is equally effective in bringing to life the characters. The trial is so real that I felt I was there, listening to every minute of testimony. Through it all Marinker captures brilliantly the individual voices of each of the participants. The total effect is far more dramatic than could ever be achieved solely by words printed on a page. Listening to Snow Falling On Cedars is an unforgettable experience. J.C. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


George Guidall has made so many outstanding recordings that it's almost unnecessary to review his work. This production of Guterson's award-winning novel is no exception. It's the story of a fisherman's mysterious death at sea and the trial of Kabuo Miyamoto, a Japanese American, who has been charged with murder.The setting is a courtroom on the island of San Piedro in the Puget Sound during a furious snowstorm. Guidall's sensitivity to the weight of a phrase and the subtlety with which he presents the characters are masterful. His restraint when reading emotional passages adds to their intimacy and power. Guidall never intrudes but is always present to the listener. In this narration, the listener is carried out of present time into a world of prejudice, violence, love and dreams--all shrouded by the snow falling on cedars. L.R.S. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine