THE BARTENDER'S TALE

During “the summer of everything” in 1960, 12-year-old Rusty Harry falls in love, develops a taste for drama and story, and learns the truth about his dad's mysterious trips to Canada. David Aaron Baker's thoughtful, reflective reading accentuates Ivan Doig's ability to tell a good story replete with detail. Deliberate pauses force scenes to unfold in real time and allow characters to listen and respond to one other. The dialogue is rich with regional colloquialisms and authentic slang, and Baker is pitch-perfect in delivering them. Most notably, Rusty’s father, Tom Harry, a world-weary bartender and dedicated bachelor, has a voice to match his trademark streak of gray hair, and despite some trying circumstances, he always manages to keep his language in check for Rusty's benefit. A.S. 2013 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2012]