KEITH HARING JOURNALS Penguin Classics Deluxe Edition

Narrator David Pittu conveys humanity, warmth, and wonder--all qualities associated with Keith Haring's iconographic works of art. But Pittu never achieves liftoff because Haring's journals fail to present a consistent narrative. The first half of the journals depicts Haring's early life as he goes from being a Deadhead to a successful artist. It's packed with Haring's musings on art and society, some refreshing and some mundane. The second half is more like a daily planner reflecting meetings and events that lack enough detail to serve as cultural touchstones. Breathing life into someone's day-to-day musings is always challenging, and Pittu does a consistently good narration. But fans of Keith Haring's lively, streamlined artwork may find this audiobook disappointing. R.W.S. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2022]