BEYOND NAB END

Born in 1916 into a working-class family in Lancashire, the author rose from poverty to become a distinguished author and historian. In the bestselling and critically acclaimed The Road to Nab End he recalled his early life among the cotton weavers of Blackburn. The current volume continues his adventures starting in 1933, when the worldwide Depression drove him to London to seek his fortune and discover his love of learning. His writing gleams with life, reanimating characters, times, and places that seduce the listener. In this he's ably assisted by reader Sam Kelly, whose voice, brisk pace, and regional accent exude warmth, humor, and goodwill. Kelly sounds like a garrulous bloke rehearsing his life story to chums at a local pub. The serendipitous coupling of text and narrator creates an irresistibly charming effect. One sees, rather than hears, events roll by. Y.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 04]