THE SUBURBAN YOU Reports From the Home Front

This program about life in Chicago's moneyed suburbs raises baffling questions. Why does the author read? His voice is unpleasant, his attempt at varied tones numbingly repetitive, his pronunciations awkward. He frequently stumbles, as if unfamiliar with the text. Why is it in second person? The material is specific to him, including his name, but he addresses it to "you," an annoying tactic that distances, rather than involves, the reader. Who thought this material, old a generation ago (though updated to address contemporary greed and self-indulgence) to be interesting or funny? Rarely amusing, it's like being trapped at a party by a bore telling pointless anecdotes about his selfish, conformist life--for five hours. W.M. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 05]