OUT OF MAO'S SHADOW The Struggle for the Soul of a New China

Amid all the reports of the New China, Pan tells of another side of China through 10 intersecting profiles that show much despair over the actions of the nation's authoritarian government. There is a documentary filmmaker's quest to record the life of a dissident poet. A retiree determined to record how local victims of the Cultural Revolution died. And others. David Colacci is a capable reader. He carries the material with an even tone, adding emotion when necessary for impact or effect. He adopts slight voice changes for selected characters. It's successful when he quotes official documents, less so with female characters. But because the book has no overarching dramatic line, listeners will need to apply themselves, rather than be compelled. It's easy to stop listening at the end of chapters. R.C.G. 2009 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2008]