THE HATWEARER'S LESSON

This modern-day fable features a young African-American woman who achieves her heart's desire financially, professionally, and socially--only to discover that true happiness lies in her humble upbringing. Yolanda Joe has written a heartwarming story of family and the quest for true love. Susan Spain does a fine job capturing the main characters--rich and poor, young and old, male and female, Northern and Southern. But she is less successful in giving distinctive voices to the vast cast of minor characters. Whenever there is dialogue, the lack of vocal differentiation makes it difficult to discern who is speaking. P.R. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 04]