READING WITH PATRICK A Teacher, a Student and a Life-Changing Friendship

Michelle Kuo narrates her memoir about her relationship with Patrick, a student she first met as a young teacher in the Mississippi Delta who made a lasting mark on her life. Kuo's straightforward narration provides clarity, although her lack of nuance in pitch and tone gives everything the same weight, whether it's her ambivalence about starting law school or the news years after she left the Delta that Patrick is in jail for murder. Not creating unique voices for individual people, particularly Patrick, seems a lost opportunity to add depth to the production, but Kuo's story of reconnecting with him and beginning a dialogue with him through literature is a fascinating one that will capture many listeners. A.F. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2017]