MEMORIES OF MY MELANCHOLY WHORES

A voice like Thom Rivera’s—a blend of sharp-edged rasp and husky purr—is perfect to narrate this audiobook. As the blunt title suggests, this is a bawdy tale, sometimes uncomfortable to hear but other times downright inspiring in its life-affirming moments. What better narrator than a talent whose very voice bridges the sensuous and the serious? As the voice of a Colombian journalist in his 90th year, Rivera expresses age, corruption, wisdom, foolishness, and whimsy—all in his tone. His narration is agile as he moves between accents and characters, and he offers a sense that this whole audiobook is a secret just for the listener. This production may require some boldness on the listener’s part, but it is certainly unique. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2013]