BENEDICTION

Mark Bramhall gives an emotional performance of this melancholy slice of life in a small town. Author Kent Haruf once again focuses on various characters who live in the town of Holt, Colorado. Bramhall will have listeners in tears, yet uplifted, as he voices Dad Lewis, an elderly man who is dying of cancer with dignity and just a few regrets. Other characters revolving around Dad’s end-of-life experience are portrayed with vulnerability and grace as they deal with situations of their own. Bramhall lets the characters’ stories unfold slowly, lingering over the details that capture the essence of life in a small town, as well as the sorrow of bereavement. M.M.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2013]