BELOW THE BRIDGE

Porter recalls growing up on the South Side of St. John's, Newfoundland, a neighborhood lost to a 1950s harbor project. Narrator Mary Barry's voice captures Porter's memories with a reflective tone and a poetic lilt, at times seeming amused by a funny anecdote. Porter regrets the loss of her old neighborhood, but she doesn't paint an idyllic portrait. She soberly recalls the Depression and WWII and doesn't shy away from the South Side's poverty or childhood cruelties. Listeners unfamiliar with old St. John's may need to acquaint themselves with the geography, but they'll still be fascinated by this glimpse of everyday lives of the past. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2011]