MORE TO SAY Essays & Appreciations

Kirsten Potter delivers a spirited performance of this eclectic collection of essays by American fiction writer Ann Beattie. Potter's warm, midrange voice and attentive pacing pull listeners into the closely observed pieces, which range widely from a visit to painter Grant Wood's Iowa hometown to an appreciation of novelist Elizabeth Spencer amd a discussion of Alice Munro's literary oeuvre. Beattie, a PEN/Faulkner Award winner, displays her trademark humor, elegant prose styling, and critical insight throughout the collection. While most listeners will recognize many of Beattie's topics, Potter's excellent performance ensures that even the unfamiliar is interesting. By varying the tempo, speaking conversationally, and projecting an audible smile when a sentence is amusing, Potter keeps listeners engaged throughout. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2023]