LET THE GREAT WORLD SPIN

The swirling lives represented here by the best narrators in the Recorded Books ensemble portray a complicated and changing New York of August 1974, as Philippe Petit stretches a cable between the Twin Towers in Manhattan, still under construction, and shocks the world by walking from one building to the other (both nearly a quarter of a mile in height). McCann's 2009 National Book Award winner uses this real event to tell the stories of the people down below and, most remarkably, the fictionalized man up above. The narrators, led by Richard Poe, take on the challenge of these multiple points of view with professionalism and aplomb. Listeners are swept into this chaotic world and engrossed by the quirky characters and the way they come together. For its scope, sense of nostalgia, and emotional impact—this is not to be missed. R.O. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2009]