BOOKS FOR LIVING

Will Schwalbe (THE END OF YOUR LIFE BOOK CLUB) creates a hybrid of recommended books, life advice, and memoir in this audio collection of short essays. Delivering the author's commentary on various books and their value-- to himself and to the world--narrator Jeff Harding provides good timing and appropriate energy. He deftly moves from speaking in a solidly projecting mode for Schwalbe's discussions of books to a modest yet emotionally charged tone when voicing the more intimate details of Schwalbe's life. Harding's deep pitch and throaty timbre add a roughness to the narration that, at times, can sound a bit too harsh for the content. While his voice and Schwalbe's prose don't entirely align, he's able to lighten his delivery from time to time in a way that works well. L.E. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2017]