COLLECTED STORIES

Susan Lyons's remarkable performance of Shirley Hazzard's stories is a gift to all who love the author's wry wit and rapier adjectives, and all who have yet to discover them. The child of diplomats, Hazzard traveled throughout her life, honing her observational skills with every move. Set in the 1950s through 2000, the resulting stories are timeless examinations of the human heart. Lyons's narrative voice, with its clarity, humor, precision, and warmth, perfectly conveys Hazzard's approach to her characters--a mix of kindness and fierce honesty. Her adept pacing gives listeners room to laugh or grimace, while her conversational depictions bring the characters close so you may hug or shake them as needed. This is a listening experience to be savored more than once. A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2021]