Blackbird

This riveting memoir of a girl's tempestuous early years is made all the more intense by being read by the author. Jennifer Lauck's words tell their own story of loss and strength through the eyes of a child. Add to this the author's unadorned, clear voice and the listener can easily be carried off to the 1970s, when little Jennifer's family was still intact and everyone had a role: Mother is beautiful but fragile, Jennifer takes care of her, Daddy works . . . The deterioration of this simple portrait is the focus of the work, but there is no self-pity in the words or the voice. This memoir and Jennifer's triumph are unforgettable. L.B.F. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine


If this were a novel, many would think the author had a pessimistic imagination intent on stringing together a list of horribles in the life of a child. As a memoir, it is a sad reminder that life is not always kind, but it's also helpful to know during the progress of the story that the author has lived to tell about it. Although there are a few instances of sloppy editing with a sentence repeated and a bit of tedium in short bits of dialogue punctuated by attributions, these are no more than minor annoyances. Stephanie Roberts narrates with sensitivity and an even tone. Her characterizations of the maturing Jennifer, her surly and withdrawn brother, and the various adults who play major roles in the dynamics of this story are well considered and effective. J.E.M. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine