NELSON MANDELA'S FAVORITE AFRICAN FOLKTALES

What a special collection of preserved and retold folklore, creation stories, and fables from Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and all over the African continent! Some of the stories lend themselves better to a more dynamic reading, and those are the most successful ones in this format—CCH Pounder reading "Sannie Langtand and the Visitor" is a standout, as is Don Cheadle's performance of the charming "Fesito Goes to Market." Not all of the celebrity narrations and individual productions are as successful—it's particularly distracting when words are obviously dubbed in, for example—but as a whole, the collection is funny and magical, enhanced by wonderful music from Johnny Clegg and Vusi Mahlasela (and don't miss the illustrations, included in a bonus PDF). That this is a benefit production makes it even more special—bravo. J.M.D. 2010 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2009]