MAMA FLORA'S FAMILY

Debbi Morgan's smoky voice and versatility do full justice to this engrossing story of a family and the woman who had the strength to overcome poverty, racism and tragedy to give her children the ability to persevere. Flora moves to a Tennessee town after bearing a child of rape and having the child taken away from her. The murder of her sharecropping husband doesn't break her as she struggles to raise her son and adopted daughter. Her will helps her children to have dreams for their future--although they aren't always Flora's. As Morgan effortlessly switches from character to character, accomplishing difficult dialects and the range of human emotion, the story sweeps the listener along in this saga of American survival. Her rendition of Flora's preacher is priceless: One can see the swaying figure and the sheen of sweat on the forehead during the fiery sermon. We hear Flora's aging in her voice: always determined and strong, but acquiring the patina of age as her story progresses. Both major and minor characters are clearly established vocally. This is a riveting performance that introduces characters the listener will not soon forget. M.A.M. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 99]