THE HEADMASTER Frank L. Boyden of Deerfield

Happily, another of John McPhee’s classics has been brought to life with this finely narrated audiobook. Golden Voice narrator Edoardo Ballerini performs the work with care for the author’s eloquent descriptions of Deerfield, Massachusetts, as it evolves over the twentieth century—as does its legendary headmaster, Frank L. Boyden, who took over the school in 1902 and stayed in charge for 66 years. The profiles of individuals, especially Boyden and his wife, Helen, who herself taught at Deerfield for six decades, are captured in exquisite detail; they lived with, played with, traveled with, and educated Deerfield students nonstop. McPhee called this work a portrait, and he paints the picture of an elite prep school with an unusually empathetic leader. It’s the story of a man, a school, and a community. A.D.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2024]