AMERICAN BOY The Adventures of Mark Twain

If you've ever wondered how Sam Clemens started writing, this tape will relate that and more about one's of our nation's most beloved authors. Rather than proceeding chronologically through Clemens's life, Brown's path is jagged, interspersing comments from Clemens's mother at his birth with his early adventures in Hannibal, Missouri, and his later job at a newspaper. Norman Dietz gives a straight reading without vocal differentiation or inflection, so it's difficult to identify each new time period. Although interesting, the facts all jumble together. Dietz does not assist the reader by providing any breaks or pauses, so the production feels rushed. A.G.H. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]