New Stories From the South 2005

The good news is this twentieth-anniversary publication, which showcases 19 of the best writers of the South working today. The better news is the team of narrators who bring these amazing characters and settings to life. The traditional qualities of Southern writing--gothic horror, the grotesque, the lyrical, and the powerful drama--are all represented. Pay special attention to Dennis Lehane's "Until Gwen," featuring narrator Ed Sala's gravelly, world-weary delivery. Also of note, Judy Budnitz's "The Kindest Cut," read by Brian Reddy, which mixes heartbreaking empathy with chilling horror, and Alan Gurganis's "My Heart Is a Snake Farm," read by Linda Stephens. R.O. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine