VILLAGES

In his 21st novel, Updike continues his examination of the post-Pill paradise. The setting is the northeastern United States; the players are educated members of the middle class; the action is centered on our protagonist's extra-marital sex life as he grows old without growing up. Sound familiar? Edward Herrmann is, as always, excellent. His readings are inevitably sensitive to the text, well paced and attention-holding; this time is no exception. In addition, his pleasant, well-rounded tenor sounds intimately of Updike's WASP milieu. He handles female voices as well as he does those of males, and his nuanced reading controls the narrative. The audiobook was produced with no breaks except for chapter numbers, which is somewhat disconcerting. Evidently, for Updike, not even an announcement of the disc number is allowed to intrude. R.E.K. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 05]