A ROPE-IN CASE

When Englishwoman Beckwith first moved to the Hebrides before WWII, she was advised to carry a piece of rope, in case. The idea was that you never know what you might need to do; e.g., tie up an errant animal, repair a fence, etc. This sage advice proved very useful as Beckwith illustrates in her amusing recollection. Narrator Gordon enhances the wonderful writing with her spirited presentation. Her rolled "r's," spectacularly heavy accents, and creepy stories of folklore and ghosts make the listening experience engrossing and entirely different from a straight-forward reading. The fellow islanders, vast differences of life in the forties and fifties, simple country philosophies and funny, moving incidents make A Rope an excellent period piece. It is also a unique picture of a geographical setting that is seldom encountered in any literature. Beckwith and Gordon present humor and enlightenment to adventurous readers. S.G.B. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 99]