New Reviews: Classics

A moment occurs towards the end of this classic novel of crime and punishment when Grover Gardner delivers the voices of men on death row. Some sound resigned, others complain, one moans. These emulations of misery are palpable and demonstrate Gardner's subtle expertise as a narrator. A master performer, he elevates this naturalistic novel, an account of the strivings and... Read More

Ben Miles does an exceptional job narrating Dostoevsky's masterpiece. The novel revolves around the three Karamazov brothers and their father. It includes many of the themes found in the author's other works: murder, courtroom drama, toxic relationships, sensuality, as well as some of Dostoevsky's most profound and deepest philosophical and theological ideas. The Karamazovs are... Read More

The introduction to James Baldwin's American classic, which takes place in 1930s Harlem, is narrated in a steady, warm voice by Roxane Gay. The story involves a series of flashbacks that explain one special day in the life of 14-year-old John. As is often the case in Baldwin's early writing, the evangelical Christian church plays a part. Narrator Joe Morton begins the novel in... Read More

Crews's novel, published in 1988, is finally on audio, and it's worth the wait. Matt Godfrey's masterful storytelling brings it to life. Part of "Southern grit lit," the story focuses on Eugene Talmadge Biggs, a prizefighter who discovers that his most lucrative skill is his ability to knock himself unconscious. Biggs capitalizes on the public's thirst to see this talent,... Read More

Pater's essays on classical, late Medieval, and, primarily, Renaissance art and literature are written in high-flown style, intellectually and aesthetically impassioned, and Leighton Pugh delivers them at that elevated pitch. That can be wearying, and perhaps he should have sought a more varied tone, but it's easy to be caught up in his performance. His voice is a fine... Read More