SARNY A Life Remembered

Two master storytellers--author and narrator--capture the singular personality of Sarny, a former slave who, at 94, recounts the turbulent events and dark times of her long life. Thigpen imbues the first-person narrative with Sarny's warmth, humor, passion and curiosity, making the listener respond as to a real memoir. For Sarny's benefactress, Miss Laura, Thigpen reads in a liquid voice of ambiguous accent and unchanging emotional intensity, effectively matching the carefully constructed identity Miss Laura presents to the world. Emotionally charged tragic events--such as the lynching of Sarny's husband--are not highly dramatized, but instead reflect the distance of time and recollection. Like Sarny herself, Thigpen recognizes the power of both words and, even more important, the thoughts behind them. D.M.L. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 99]