HARRIET BEAMER TAKES THE BUS

Because she lost a bet, Harriet Beamer is moving across the country to live with her son, but before she settles down, she decides to travel the country by bus. Laural Merlington portrays the plucky 72-year-old in a friendly, open voice as Harriet interacts with a wide variety of people, strangers who become her friends as she inspires them and is in turn inspired to “really live” as she takes the scenic route home. Merlington varies the accents and pacing of the people Harriet meets as she moves across the country and does an especially good Southern drawl. The only weakness is in the transitions between Harriet’s perspective and that of her son, as it takes the listener a moment to realize the scene has shifted since Merlington does not provide a sufficient pause in her narration. E.N. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2012]