ECHOES OF A DISTANT SUMMER

This novel by the son of Maya Angelou is the sequel to STANDING AT THE SCRATCH LINE. Set in 1982, it follows the life of an African-American San Franciscan as his life becomes complicated by the inheritance of fifty million dollars from his mobster grandfather. Peter Jay Fernandez does a fine job as he moves from the nuanced language of Southern blacks to the more stylized cadences of black urban youth. Most pleasing is the seamless way that Fernandez maintains dialogue between the generations, keeping each distinct and expertly in character. While the narration at times takes on a distant tone, the story itself keeps the listener engaged. P.R. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 07]