THE LETTERS OF JANE AUSTEN

There is something soothing about returning to the lost art of letter writing with this audiobook. Add to this the elegant style of the legendary Jane Austen and the equally elegant performance of Kate Reading, and the result is fine, indeed. Reading's voice is calm, measured, and appropriately slow paced. Even though we are hearing details about lives we largely know little of, and there are no explanatory notes bridging the pieces of correspondence, Reading's steady delivery, which includes footnotes, makes the listening experience reasonable. Reading moves smoothly from letter to letter with subtlety, gently inviting us into another time. The minute and mundane details make for an audiobook best suited for Austen devotees. Reading's work makes every moment worthwhile. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2024]