MISS TEMPY'S WATCHERS

Humorous anecdotes about elderly New England women are a specialty of Sarah Orne Jewett, and these four unabridged stories are among her most enjoyable. Though set in the nineteenth century, Jewett's character portraits remain timeless, and the reminiscing so common to her ladies is best when it's heard. Hicken renders a fine regional accent, which enhances the text. Her strong, sure alto enunciates clearly and maintains a deliberate, unhurried pace. Although she reads stiffly at the beginning, she quickly warms up and smooths out her delivery. Hicken uses pauses and whispers effectively to distinguish characters and their moods. J.A.H. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 95]