MESSAGES FROM MY FATHER

There's a wonderful sense of Americana and family in Calvin Trillin's latest book. There are touches of humor in, for example, his childhood choice to be aligned with his father's "mule" (stubborn) side of the family, rather than his mother's "nervous" side. Well-produced, with nostalgic musical interludes between chapters, Trillin's matter-of-fact presentation illustrates both the distinct characters of his individual family members, as well as the touching saga of his Russian immigrant ancestors' journey toward the American Dream. Although this is Trillin's personal account, listeners will be unable to keep themselves from reflecting on their own familial pasts--a true gift of fine writing. R.A.P. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPT 96]