ANOTHER COUNTRY

Despite its dated lingo and moral standards, this classic audiobook feels both fresh and potent. One reason is the narration of Dion Graham, whose velvet intonation is a perfect match for this novel. The other reason for its freshness might be Baldwin's nonjudgmental style—particularly in regard to the racial and sexual tensions that bind his hipster jazz musicians, artists, and writers. Like Hemingway's take on Paris in the ‘20s or Fellini's portrait of Rome in the ‘50s, Baldwin's encapsulation of late ‘50s Greenwich Village seems spot on, like a perfectly preserved diorama. It's hard to believe that it’s taken almost five decades to bring this epic story to audio, but this classy unabridged recording is definitely worth the wait. R.W.S. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2009]