THE UNNAMED

For those skeptical of authors narrating their own works, Exhibit A for the defense might justifiably be Joshua Ferris and his engrossing second novel. Of course, he’s perfectly attuned to the nuances and emotional undulations of his story, which concerns the consequences for a lawyer and his family as he succumbs to a mysterious illness that causes him to abruptly undertake long walks in a state of catatonia. Best of all is Ferris's perfectly rendered performance of the story’s dialogue, complete with its false starts, misunderstandings, distractions, and everything else that comprises the way we actually talk to each other. There isn't a moment when Ferris the reader loses one’s attention to what Ferris the writer has to say. M.O. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2010]