TRUE NORTH

Christopher Lane becomes David Burkett in this novel centered around a family descended from wealthy timber barons. He is at home portraying Burkett’s angst over what his family has done to the landscape and the people around them, clearly communicating Burkett’s depression, self-deprecation, and self-pity in equal parts. While Burkett is not a particularly likable hero, Lane succeeds in creating a sympathetic take on the young man as he navigates through making amends for his own comfort at the expense of the great woods around him. Even as Burkett’s father becomes more and more unbelievable in his malevolence, Lane keeps him credible through his human reading. Both his humanity and his narration of Harrison’s beautiful nature prose make this an audiobook worth exploring. H.L.S. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 04/ JAN 05]