LIFE AND DEATH IN SHANGHAI

Nien Cheng lived through one of the great man-made horrors of our century, China's Cultural Revolution. Her personal account puts a human face on that monstrous event. Allison Green is effective as a first-person narrator who is refined, almost effete, yet who has great reserve, discipline and endurance. Green's character voices are uneven, often falling into a few strained stereotypes. But, on the whole, her reading is listenable. She takes care with the pronunciation of Chinese names and terms. The sound is clear though occasional careless editing distracts. A good offering for listeners who want to go beyond light entertainment. J.N. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 94]