ORPHEUS EMERGED

An early Kerouac novella, posthumously published, features various university students with artistic and intellectual aspirations sorting out their love affairs, squabbles, and principles. Perhaps this immature roman à clef possesses interest more for what it reveals about the author’s development than for its own virtues. At any rate, as interpreted by Grover Gardner, we hear none of that mannered grit that later informed On The Road. Realizing that Kerouac was, at the age of 23, still struggling to find a voice, Gardner plays what he is given--an unctuously sincere middle-class narrative personality, believing itself smart and adult and important. An added plus are his crisp intonations, expressiveness, and penetrating voice, ideal qualities for an audiobook performer. Y.R. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 01]