THERE AND BACK AGAIN An Actor's Tale

This "actor's tale" describes not how THE LORD OF THE RINGS was made, or even Astin's involvement in it, but how he felt about it, from auditions through the Oscars, in unrelenting detail. Instead of information, craft observations, or even good dirt, his attention fastens on his own jittery psyche. He waffles between wounded self-love and praise of Peter Jackson and others, words that are undercut not only by their fulsomeness but by his insincere-sounding delivery. For a creditable actor, his reading is unprofessional, showing no command of tone, pacing, or even articulation. The listener is left exasperated, too high a price to pay for the little this tale tells. W.M. 2005 Audie Award Finalist © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 05]