GREAT BOOKS

Ed Asner gives a passionate, riveting performance. His commitment to the subject seems as strong and personal as the author's. Together they tell how Denby, at the age of 48, rediscovered the vital relevance of the beleaguered canon of Great Books. Unfortunately, Asner lapses into a growly condescension that clashes with the author's unpretentious first-person narrative. The clash blunts the book's point. Nonetheless, soldiers in today's culture wars will not only learn from this tape, but will gain strength for the next battle. Y.R. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 98]