THE VISION OF EMMA BLAU

Revisiting the realm that earned her wide readership (and an Oprah seal) with Stones from the River, Hegi reads with the intimacy of someone who loves to tell stories. The Blau family comes to America and builds a grand apartment on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire, where they confront their dreams and disappointments over several generations. Hegi's controlled style of narration creates a unique tension between intimacy and distance. The beautifully structured work is lovingly abridged by the author herself, whose slight German accent and intonation give authenticity as she subtly projects the very vulnerabilities her characters work so hard not to reveal. E.K.D. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 00]