Drop City

When the public health department shuts down a California commune in 1970, residents jump at the chance to reestablish their lifestyle in a remote Alaskan village. Trapper Ces Harter, fresh from his mail-order wedding, has no idea what his friendly greeting to the group will mean to his cherished Alaskan lifestyle. While Boyle offers page after page of fresh insights into both lifestyles, narrator Richard Poe keeps up admirably, layering subtle washes of character onto hippies and longtime Alaskans. He captures na•veté and laziness, stupidity and perseverance. Occasional mispronunciations and odd phrasings create only momentary distractions from a finely crafted production. R.P.L. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine