BLESSED ARE THE CHEESEMAKERS

If charm were cholesterol, this book would be a guaranteed heart attack. Coolarney House is an Irish dairy farm where two old men with big hearts and secrets mend lives and make astonishing cheeses, some with magic powers. (The cows are tended by pregnant vegetarians who sing "The Sound of Music" as they milk.) Lost souls arrive and stay, make cheese, make love, and it's all funny, sexy, and surprising. Heather O'Neill does a great job with the Irish voices, is slightly less steady with American ones, and is really terrible with the Australians, but it doesn't matter much, as they aren't in the book very long. A delightful audio read. B.G. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 03]