SURFACING

In this marvelous collection of essays, Kathleen Jamie meditates on time, nature, and family with lyrical prose full of wicked wit. Narrator Cathleen McCarron's performance is a perfect match. Her Scottish accent is appealing, and her timing is akin to musical phrasing that enhances a composer's intent. For example, Jamie's description of Alaskan sockeye salmon swimming as "silk slashes in a Tudor sleeve" sounds like "slashies" in McCarron's lilting voice, and that just adds to the magic of it all. The two longest essays focus on an archaeological discovery in Alaska among the Yupik and another one in the Orkneys. Both highlight the role of warming climates and encroaching seas in the discovery and juxtaposition of history and modernity: One local Yupik resident has an iPhone in one pocket and a traditional ulu knife in the other. A.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2020]