THE PACT Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream

This is the inspirational true story of three boys living in the ghettos of Newark and Plainfield, New Jersey, who made a childhood pact to support each other in school, go to college, and become doctors. The book is made even more immediate because the authors narrate it, alternating chapters so they each read about their own experiences. They're not professional readers, and it takes a while to get used to their awkward phrasing and inconsistent diction, but the book is well worth the effort. One puzzle is the authors' sense of timing and emotion. Since they presumably wrote the book, they should be able to emphasize words to get their meanings across. Instead, they read flatly, forcing us, at times, to grapple with context and intent. R.I.G. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB / MAR 03]