NEW LIFE, NO INSTRUCTIONS

Gail Caldwell is the ideal narrator for her own memoir, which depends so much on voice and character. She's from Texas but has long lived in the Northeast, and we hear those histories in her accent. Her voice is a sweet low alto, and that too is the perfect range in which to pitch this story of loss, change, and courage in a single woman at midlife. Caldwell writes beautifully and is a loving friend, sister, and daughter. The structure for the book is provided by a stunning medical event in her life, how it challenges, and how she copes. It sounds painful, and there is plenty of both physical and psychic pain here, but Caldwell is a wonderful companion, full of gratitude and hope. B.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: MAY 2014]