THE MAN WHO WALKED AWAY

A man begins a walk across France and ends up drifting throughout Europe. In this exploration of madness and isolation in modern society, George Guidall's narration gives listeners a sense of Albert, an older man in the nineteenth century who is a psychiatric patient. Guidall uses a husky tone and a broadcaster's emphatic pronunciation to create dramatic tension. At other points, his hushed delivery gives the listener a feeling of intimacy with Albert as well as empathy for his disorientation and vulnerability. Albert's inner monologue is told with a gentle nostalgia and depth of feeling that are in poignant contrast to his flat responses to the outer world. M.R. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2015]