A PATCHWORK PLANET

Anne Tyler's latest novel takes a detailed, funny and tender look at how human beings live in an oftentimes difficult modern world. David Morse is a wonderful narrator, taking us in and out and through the experiences of Barnaby Gaitlin, a young man who feels the world is against him. There's a fine line between tragedy and comedy; Morse seems to know instinctively which way to tweak Tyler's text for the maximum effect. The result is a touching and sometimes painfully funny audiobook that, at times, sounds more like a memoir than a novel. R.A.P. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 98]