NEITHER HERE NOR THERE

Bill Bryson has a warm, full voice and superb timing. He reads as well as he writes. Plus, he's clearly enjoying the material. When he tells the story of Marta, the gorgeous woman who got away, you can practically see the smile on his face. The only thing wrong with this audio presentation is revealed in the title. It's neither here nor there. Not held together by a single trail, as A WALK IN THE WOODS was by the Appalachian, or by a single culture, as NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND was by England, there's a randomness that weakens the experience. Still, it's the work of a lively intellect, mightily amused. B.H.C. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 99]