WEEPERS

This audiobook is an offbeat, avant-garde look at the American Southwest as seen through the eyes of a poet, philosopher, cowboy, and "weeper" named Ed. Weepers are professional mourners hired to add tangible signs of grief to funerals. Narrator David Aaron Baker brings Ed to life. His warm and folksy voice is instantly likable. Ed's verbal ruminations are sometimes profound, often profane, and darkly comic. A central focus is the arrival of a strange but charismatic young colleague he refers to as "the kid." He is a messianic figure, a cult leader, and a drug addict. This story exposes the lack of empathy in our society and highlights a world in which mourning occasionally needs to be performed by professionals. D.L.G. © AudioFile 2025, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2025]