TIMEQUAKE

A timequake is a rare phenomenon, a kind of decade-long déjà vu. In this fantasy-memoir-harangue, Vonnegut pens two versions of a novel about timequakes; in one he writes a long scene between himself and his fictional alter ego, Kilgore Trout. Paradoxes abound as the author speaks out on just about everything on his mind. Norman Dietz perfectly captures the codgerly, sardonic grouchiness that pervades the narrative. Further, his intelligence makes him able to play the underlying ideas and to embue them with unity; whereas a less mature narrator would falter and flail. His seasoned voice and flawless understanding of his text convey the impression that the author himself is speaking. This is a perfect coupling of writer and actor. Y.R. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 98]