MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

In this highly entertaining and surprisingly literate novel, God challenges Elliott Goodman, who is facing emergency heart surgery, to a round of golf. If Goodman wins, he is saved. Of course, God Himself doesn’t play; instead, he sends down 18 historic figures, including Lincoln, Freud, Socrates, and Joan of Arc, and that’s when the fun begins. Delivered superbly by Mel Foster, Mitchell’s novel allows the listener to ponder life’s heaviest issues in a light yet thought-provoking manner. Foster’s narration complements the material, particularly his ability to shift between the voice of Goodman and those of his luminary opponents, including a “cooing” Marilyn Monroe and a highly theatrical Shakespeare, who not only compete against Goodman but also offer words of wisdom to live, and die, by. D.J.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 06]