MY FATHER'S TEARS AND OTHER STORIES

John Updike passed away just a few months before the release of a collection of essays about, and dedicated to, men and fathers. MY FATHER'S TEARS AND OTHER STORIES, seductively read by Luke Daniels, tempts the listener to experience the production in one fell swoop. But the audiobook is better appreciated at a slower pace, a sip now and then, like savoring a fine wine. Daniels treats the work with reverence, with performances that are staid and reserved when it suits the character, and burning with passion when appropriate. The stories are universal and unforgettable: an old man’s recollection of a schoolboy crush, the exploration of suburban lust, and more than a dozen other stories show Updike at his most human. M.S. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2009]