CRUM

Lee Maynard tells the story of a high school senior's last year in Crum, a poor West Virginia mining town. Narrating with the voices of both the older, wiser author and the high school senior who wants nothing more than to leave town for good, Ross Ballard delivers a lively, bawdy story that veers between youthful excitement and reflection. His narration is augmented by sound effects and Pops Walker's bluesy music, turning the reading into full-fledged drama. Full of profanity and sexual discussion, this novel isn't for everyone, but Ballard's rendition makes a routine coming-of-age tale into something worth listening to. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]