ACCORDION CRIMES

How beautifully written! From its arresting first paragraph, this epic of immigrant aspiration grips the listener with its canny plotting, vivid characterization and masterful style. In patrician measures, Edward Herrmann, best known as TV's FDR, gives us such a flawlessly tasteful, insightful rendering that he makes us feel as if Pulitzer-winner Proulx created the story to be read aloud. One suspects that the abridgment is a bit less sensitive than the performance for some events seem to rush by too quickly. Perhaps, this is on purpose for it makes one want to turn off the tape and pick up the book--in this instance a not unlaudable goal. Y.R. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: NOV/DEC 96]