WHEN THE GREEN WOODS LAUGH

The irrepressible Pop and Ma Larkin return in a book which begs to be performed, either on film as it has been on PBS, or read aloud as actor Bruce Montague so ably does here. Ever the wheeler-dealer, Pop sells a country house to a London stockbroker and his wife. Their efforts to settle into the neighborhood are not without incident. Narrator Montague captures each character's voice as author Bates describes it so that Pinky indeed has a lisp, the Colonel sounds as though his jaw is rusted, and the Brigadier is somewhat befuddled. Some of the mores may surprise our 1990's sensibilities but, placed in context, the story is a delightful diversion. N.B.H. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN 93]