FISHING FOR STARS

Australian war hero Nick Duncan has spent a lifetime loving two women. Near the end of his life he writes a memoir that details his experiences fighting the Japanese in WWII and building a shipping empire in the fast-growing region after the war. One of the women he loves is Anna, who suffered Japanese abuse during the war, then evolved into a savvy businesswoman. Perfectly cast as the protagonist, Australian narrator Humphrey Bower poses artfully between urgency, awe, and frustration as he recounts Nick’s compelling reminiscences. He also delivers fully credible Japanese, English with a Japanese accent, and Anna's refined Dutch accent. Bower steadily renders Nick's foibles, compassion, and entrepreneurial battles. Colorful characters, including Nick's other lifelong paramour, Marg, are painted with mindful brushstrokes. A.W. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2011]