THE CONFESSIONS OF MAX TIVOLI

As Max explains in the story of his life, he has a rare complaint. He is born an infant in the body of a tiny old man in pre-earthquake San Francisco; as he matures, his body becomes younger. In the midst of this strange life, he encounters his true love, yet each time they meet, they are hindered by an apparent gulf in ages. Greer uses this unusual literary device to examine the nature of love, social conventions, and the role of memory in our lives. It's a poignant and rather difficult book that takes a while to get going. While Brian Keeler reads perfectly pleasantly, he doesn't help maintain our rapt attention. Characters aren't clearly delineated, and the pacing, while not bad, is even throughout. A little more energy would have helped keep listeners involved. A.C.S. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 04]