THANK YOU FOR SMOKING

Nick Taylor, chief spokesman for the tobacco industry, is locked in never-ending battle with anti-smoking forces. Why does someone choose to earn a living by lying in public every day? To pay the mortgage. Reese does little to convey the satire in the story to listeners. Although he has a strong and pleasant voice, his delivery lacks the sparkle needed to make the humor work. The overall effect is far too stiff, with the cadence of normal conversation missing. We're left with an unending sequence of overly enunciated words and phrases, which sap the life from what's supposed to be amusing. T.J.M. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB 96]