A LESSON BEFORE DYING

In the segregated rural Louisiana of the 1940's a retarded African-American youth is wrongly convicted of murder. Another African-American, a teacher, is persuaded to visit the condemned man in his cell and convince him that he "ain't no hawg." The relationship that grows between them and its effect on the teacher's worldview are the heart of this bittersweet, humane novel by the author of The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. The audio abridgment isn't particularly well-produced or narrated, yet--whether because of the strong writing, the fascinating Creole milieu, the subtle quality of the acting or another elusive quality--it's somehow riveting. Well worth the listen! Y.R. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT 97]