TROPIC OF CANCER

Henry Miller's blend of memoir and fiction chronicles the bawdy adventures of a young expatriate writer (Miller) and the characters who are part of his life in 1930s Paris. Campbell Scott lends the narration of this classic a depressed monotone that is ideal for the book's stream-of-consciousness, and at times delirious, prose. Sensitive listeners should be cautioned on the novel's adult language and situations, and it should be no surprise that it was banned in the U.S. for 27 years after its first publication in Paris in 1943. Mellow jazz music overlays chapter beginnings, and Scott's low pitch and easy tone, as well as his French pronunciations, enhance Miller's beautiful, imaginative, and poignant descriptions. Miller's translation of experience into fine prose recalls Joyce's keen works. A.W. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2008]