BOOKISH PEOPLE

Narrator Alexa Morden tells the story of a dysfunctional independent bookstore in the Washington, DC, area. Owner Sophie Bernstein abdicates her responsibilities as she grieves for her late husband and worries about anti-Semitic hate. She even wonders if she can retreat to a secret room in her bookstore when her events manager, Clemi, brings a highly controversial poet for a public reading. Morden’s world-weary, sardonic tone fits Sophie’s current state of mind. With a droll matter-of-fact delivery that invites laughter, Morden tracks daily store disasters, many involving animals and an unreliable vacuum cleaner. Moving from a younger, lighter voice for Clemi to a slower, indecisive tone for Sophie, Morden shifts her voice to match the quirky characters’ mannerisms. C.A. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2022]