THE FAT LADY'S LOW, SAD SONG

This audiobook is like a favorite old baseball mitt: hardly flashy, but comfortable and it works. First, the familiar: the losing Minor League team, the aging veteran playing out his days, and the crusty, cantankerous manager. There's also a female pitcher hoping to make it to the Bigs. Some may be distracted by narrator Marlin May's performance. His heavy stresses on some words and syllables make it hard at times to fall into the story and forget that he is reading. Still, that should not deter listeners. Kaufman handles his characters and themes well, and they don't feel particularly clichéd. There's a lot of warmth and humanity here, making this a good baseball fix while waiting for the next game to start. G.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2019]