MY EAST END

O'Neill's oral history of the East End in London gathers many stories of hardship, games, and community from people who grew up there. Most of the recollections come from folks who were children during and after WWII; they view life in the slums with optimism and a generous degree of fun. Oral history is particularly well suited to audio, especially when the reader is as skilled as Carole Boyd. Boyd uses her rich voice for O'Neill's text and a variety of Cockney accents for the interviews that make up the bulk of the book. Even when there are several interviews in a row, the listener can always discern when one person's memories end and another's begin. A.B. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 05]