THE DAY I ATE WHATEVER I WANTED

Berg narrates a varied mix of her short stories about break-free women who face death, aging, diets, and more. There are dark, rich stories, like the one about a man who's been an almost-lover for decades before he gets a brain tumor. These are balanced by the satisfying laugh-out-loud pleasure provided by the title story and its companion, "The Day I Ate Nothing I Even Remotely Wanted," both yummy with details. Surprises and poignant endings make you think, as when an older woman's write-up of an apple pie recipe serves up a slice of memory and advice. As narrator, Berg fills each story with maximum emotion, occasionally giving an accented cameo, for a character from Brooklyn, for example. Her affection for all her characters comes through clearly. S.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 08]