THE LONG VALLEY

Does anyone still read John Steinbeck? This collection presents a strong argument that we should. Even if some of the stories— particularly “The Raid” and “The Murder”—show their age, Steinbeck's concerns, language, and powers of observation still deserve our attention. They deserve a fine narrator, too, and Holter Graham gives the language and characters subtle interpretations that draw us in and give us room to form our own understanding. His accents and voices are well chosen, but even the strong characters must share their positions with Steinbeck's wonderful sense of place. Geographic setting, always important in his work, is never more so than here in these stories of his native Salinas Valley. D.M.H. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2012]