FRIEND OF MY YOUTH

Alice Munro's short stories are economical, tightly written studies in female psychology. That may make them sound dull, but it shouldn't --it just means that their impact comes from the author's nuanced characters and her depiction of their emotions, not the events of the plot. In this recording of Munro's 1990 collection, Beth Fowler fails to bring these women off the page. Her narration is too slow, too schoolmarmish, and the voices she ascribes to the characters are leaden and unconvincing. This writing needs a more thoughtful interpretation than Fowler is able to bring. D.B. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 01]