ANDREW'S BRAIN

In a soft, rambling tone, Andrew tells the story of his life to an unknown person, most likely his psychiatrist. Slowly, painfully, Andrew's life shifts from one day to the next, in and out of focus as he examines the events he's encountered. Doctorow himself delivers the stream- of-consciousness narrative. The highly respected author uses a wide variety of literary techniques in his writing, including a nonlinear structure. But they don't translate well to audio because of the plethora of minutiae and lack of a time line. The person Andrew addresses sporadically interrupts the narrative with questions and comments, only to be forgotten as Andrew continues telling the tale of his life without pause. No doubt, it's easier to ascertain the author's intentions in print. M.B.K. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2014]