HOLLYWOOD THE HARD WAY

Rusty Nelson is an appropriate narrator for this true story about a cross-country horse ride made in 1946 on a bet. Nelson's easy-going style and natural country accent complement this simple variation of the road tale, recollected by horseman Jerry Van Meter after he and Oklahoma cattle-rancher and singing cowboy Jimmy Wakely decided on the terms of their fifteen-hundred-mile timed wager. But as with any journey, it's the trip that counts, not merely the destination., narrator Nelson manages to keep this slice of Americana interesting by knowing that listeners are not themselves on a race to the finish. An easy listen, well paced. J.L. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 01]