A THOUSAND YEARS OF GOOD PRAYERS Stories

Cindy Kay gives an eloquent and dignified narration of Yiyun Li's masterful 2006 story collection, which depicts the multifaceted lives of Chinese and Chinese-American characters. Kay's gentle and well-modulated voice lends itself to the intimate nature of the stories. For example, in the first story, "Extra," Kay gives the main character, Granny Lin, a sweetness that works well with her calm demeanor and contrasts with the poignancy of her reduced circumstances. The stories range from simple slice-of-life studies in both China and Chinese-American communities to stories about political life in modern China and sweeping historical tales of Imperial China. Despite this extraordinary variety, Kay's renderings weave them into a coherent whole. D.G.P. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2020]