TELL ME A RIDDLE, REQUA I, AND OTHER WORKS

This compelling collection of short stories by Tillie Olsen, focused on everyday life in pre-WWII America, pulls in listeners from the beginning. Narrator Isabel Keating portrays the wide range of emotions featured in the stories. She also does a remarkable job of conveying the unconventional pacing, lyrical cadence, and stream-of-consciousness point of view of many of the works. Highlights include her narration of the feminist classic "I Stand Here Ironing," as well as "A Vision of Fear and Hope" and "Our Brothers." The audiobook also includes an archival recording of Olsen herself narrating excerpts from "Tell Me a Riddle." Moving and thought-provoking, this collection paints a vivid picture of the times, the people, and the places featured in the stories. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2023]