LOOK HOMEWARD, ANGEL

Thomas Wolfe's fictionalized autobiography has been called an American epic. It tells the story of Eugene Gant, a young man born into a fantastic, violent, wildly emotional family in the hill country of North Carolina. Jonathan Marosz faces many challenges in reading this massive work. The style swings from narrative to poetry. There are myriad characters, each with a distinct voice and dialect. Morosz reads in a formal, didactic manner, with a slightly hard edge to his voice except in the passages of dialogue. He clearly separates phrases, isolating the frequent, poetic images. The effect is mesmerizing and helps the listener concentrate, not only on the story and characters, but on the images, as well. Discriminating listeners will also appreciate Maxwell Perkins's introductory essay. L.R.S. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: NOV/DEC 96]