HERE, THERE, ELSEWHERE Stories from the Road

This is a collection of the travel writer's shorter stories, and it reminds us why he's considered to be one of America's premier chroniclers of place. He finds the most unique people and locations and is able to describe them in fascinating ways. Joe Barrett has a deep, resonant voice that sounds like an everlasting whisper. It's atmospheric and works well with the author's words, bringing to mind the perpetual wanderer discovering the world and becoming wiser, and a bit more grizzled, by the day. Barrett does break off into character here and there, but the scratchy whisper endures throughout the work. That's not necessarily a bad thing--it's just a choice that takes some getting used to for the whole book. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2013]