JUNETEENTH

This novel traces the mysterious and unlikely reunion of two men--a racist U.S. senator and an elderly black minister. In a dramatic scene, Senator Sunraider is shot by an assassin; when he inexplicably calls Reverend Hickman to his deathbed, a hidden history is revealed. Their shared past is the focus of the novel, and it expands to encompass race and relationships in America. Ellison's book is a winding path; it's almost symphonic in its complex blending of parts, bits of dialogue, and stream-of-consciousness declarations. Fernandez is a strong guide on this path; he uses skillful vocal shifts and syncopated pauses to aid the listener's appreciation of Ellison's novel. L.B.F. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 01]