WALTER BENJAMIN AT THE DAIRY QUEEN

A European essay on storytelling sparks this autobiographical and philosophical stream-of-consciousness story, which touches on cowboys, memory, aging, the antiquarian book trade, and whatever else pops into McMurtry's mind. Narrator Ordunio adopts an appropriately down-home, conversational style. Unfortunately, his limited repertoire of cadences conspires with the rambling text to make this volume a colossal bore for all but die-hard fans of the author and lovers of Western Americana. Y.R. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 00]