NPR ROAD TRIPS: FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

After Noah Adams’s brief introduction, this collection of NPR features starts off with Garrison Keillor's comments about the crowds people have to brave if they actually go to a fair. Listeners don't have to, though. They can sit back and hear the sounds of the Texas State Fair; an interview with a human blockhead, which includes an aural demonstration that could make some squeamish; correspondents' memories; and interviews with fiddlers and funnel cake purveyors. There's even a look at the original agricultural intent of fairs. Except for 10 minutes on "The Art of the Carnival Talker," features go by quickly. That makes for an easy listen, but some listeners will want more detail. J.A.S. 2013 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2012]