FALLEN LEAVES Last Words on Life, Love, War & God

Grover Gardner’s polished reading helps but cannot wholly save Durant’s late-life reflections on subjects such as religion, philosophy, and the nature of mankind. But Gardner brings all his skill to bear, and the reading is engaging, even entertaining, with an easy swing of tones that match the meanings and add emphasis at apt places, and an expressiveness that’s relaxed, sensitive, and intelligent. He captures perfectly a thread of self-deprecating modesty that offsets the doctrinaire quality of Durant’s pronouncements. Durant’s modest manner, some thoughtful passages, and Gardner’s skill in conveying it all to the listener help keep this production from being a curious relic. W.M. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2015]