FIRE

This fine collection of short essays by Sebastian Junger may not get the attention it deserves. The eye-catching flame-covered jacket may attract listeners, who may then find that the collection contains not only accounts of fire fighting, but also journal dispatches from Afghanistan, Cypress, and Bosnia. On the other hand, someone not interested in the feats of wildfire control might miss the thoughtful, observant pieces involving political hotspots. The packaging and jacket information is woefully inadequate, not even listing the names of the essays. Listeners will be surprised to hear that Junger's own voice and actor Kevin Conway's are almost indistinguishable. Both give effective readings that give the sense of being "on the scene." Well worth the time, Junger's varied writings make the listener as peripatetic as the author. R.F.W. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 02]