MEETING ACROSS THE RIVER

Bruce Springsteen's melancholy ode, "Meeting Across the River," inspired 21 authors to pen an assortment of eclectic short stories filled with the blues. Twenty-one narrators recount the stories using sarcasm and wit to reveal characters with haunting pasts and recurring personal flaws. Rex Linn narrates "Claustrophobia" by Philip Reed, implementing a sauntering style reminiscent of Sam Shepard. On what was supposed to be an eventless business trip to a gritty town in Mexico, the main character aids a beautiful yet diabolical woman only to discover he's been duped, yet he cannot resist her. These diverse reading styles all reflect a tone befitting the centerpiece of the Springsteen song. B.J.P. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 06]