THE GOOD STORY Exchanges on Truth, Fiction, and Psychotherapy

The dialogue presented in this book would seem ideally suited to the audio format, as dual narrators can provide a pleasing contrast between the two principals. In a series of exchanges drawn from their correspondence, the Nobel-winning novelist Coetzee and his friend Kurtz, a psychoanalyst, explore the role of narrative in their respective disciplines. In most cases, Coetzee poses the questions and shares the ideas he's wrestling with, while Kurtz shares her expertise and reflections in her insightful responses. Disappointingly, both narrators, Jeff Cummings and Sandra Burr, seem uncomfortable with the material, which is, admittedly, esoteric. Their accents are ill-suited to Coetzee and Kurtz (who are South African and British, respectively), and their delivery is too informal and utilitarian to capture the intellectual vigor of the discussion. D.B. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2016]