THE WETTEST COUNTY IN THE WORLD (LAWLESS)

Pull up a chair near the fire and settle in for this fascinating story. Initially, the title may seem unwieldy, but this work of fiction is beautifully crafted and eloquently performed. In Franklin County, Virginia, the three Bondurant brothers are united by both blood and moonshine; the saga of their bootlegging operation is alternately humorous and tragic. Erik Steele masterfully navigates vocal shifts and offers a genuine appreciation for the prose, which is vividly violent and sparklingly descriptive by turns. The author—a descendent of these very Bondurants—weaves family history and storytelling with a seamless flair, and the result is superb. This pairing of narrator and novel is inspired, and, as the title implies, the result is anything but dry. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2009]