Boomerang Books Info Bank

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man (James Joyce, read by Jim Norton, Naxos Audio, $68.95, 7CD, ISBN 9626343664)*****

It is a thing of ‘moocow’ innocence, with childish thought and memory tenderly evoked. It is also a thing of great hunger for personal identity. Stephen Dedalus, the central character of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, visualises himself in terms of the world … the universe. Boundaries between himself and the greatness of everything are sought, defined and expressed with ever-increasing hunger for the knowledge of beauty, art and meaning. James Joyce’s remarkable semi-autobiographical novel is truly a great (and very accessible) work of literature, and its beautifully layered and lyrical quality is ideally realised in audio form. This unabridged audio book reading is magnificent beyond telling. Narrator Jim Norton’s beautifully produced voice, like an oaken cask of Irish whiskey, with a subtle accent, is the perfect vehicle for Joyce’s work. He is a glorious narrator, able to convey the sensitivity, the curiosity, the depths of passion, the desperation to be free, the strange emotional coldness, the lashings of dark guilt, and the sense of time and space so wonderfully written in this book. From childhood to adulthood, from one character to the next, Norton is never at a loss. This is, quite simply, one of the greatest audio books ever produced—beautifully paced, beautifully read.

Ingrid Heyn is a bookseller at Soundbooks, Melbourne, and a professional opera singer, composer and web designer

Ruddy Gore (Kerry Greenwood, read by Stephanie Daniel, Bolinda Audio, $29.95, 6CD, ISBN 1741635225) ***

Strange events unfold in a very Gilbert and Sullivan way in the socialite sleuth Phryrne Fisher’s seventh adventure. A production of the musical ‘Ruddigore’ has been interrupted by a bizarre murder. Could the culprit be the ghost many of the cast claim to have seen, or one of their own? Will Phryne manage enough time off from the theatre’s mysteries to return the attentions of an exotic and handsome Chinese man? The crime genre appears to be particularly well suited to audio, especially fun crime filled with witty asides, such as this. The single reader tackles the task with some of Phryne’s own competency and aplomb, and performs well considering the tasks required: bursts of song, the odd line in Chinese and some rolling Welsh accents! While initially I found it hard to keep track of all the characters I was being introduced to, both the writing and reading were good enough for this to resolve itself as the story unfolded. The short piece of 1920s music at the start of each CD was a nice touch. Overall, the production was accomplished and enjoyable, and for this listener a pleasant introduction to Phryne’s world.

Jenny Gorman is a bookseller at Megalong Books, Leura

Little Britain: The Best of TV Series 2 (BBC Audio, $24.95, 1CD, ISBN 1846070597) ****

If you’ve seen ‘Little Britain’ on TV you may find it hard to imagine how it would work on CD. And yet, the show that has taken the UK by storm (and has quickly established a dedicated following internationally, including in Australia) started off as a radio show on BBC Radio 4. This new release, Little Britain: The Best of TV Series 2, certainly works well. Some characters from the series feature more heavily than others—presumably this depends partly on how well their sketches translate to the audio format. For instance, we don’t hear much from social-worker Lou and his wheelchair-bound charge Andy, two of the show’s more celebrated characters. On the other hand the quirky voice-over of former-Dr Who Tom Baker is able to come into its own in the absence of amusing yet distracting visuals. It is a pity this title consists of only one CD (sixty minutes) of material but, as with all comedy of the highest order, it’s material that has the potential to be enjoyed over and over again. With ‘Little Britain’s popularity showing no sign of abating, this is surely one worth having in stock.

Robert Hamilton-Jones is the advertising manager of Bookseller+Publisher

Paul Temple and the Curzon Case (Francis Durbridge, read by Anthony Head, BBC Audio, $29.95, 2CD, ISBN 0563504773) ***

The case begins with an aeroplane crash on the cliffs on Dulworth Bay and two boys who have disappeared from a public school in the English town. Crime novelist and detective Paul Temple and his charming wife are quickly on the case to discover if these incidents are linked. Then the elusive Curzon, a villain and a killer (whose name is etched on the cricket bat of one of missing boys), turns havoc on the countryside. Paul Temple and the Curzon Case is narrated by Anthony Head, with an English accent and plenty of charm. Head has a voice that is easy to listen to, transporting you to an idyllic English landscape so that you don’t even realize that over two hours have gone by. He also brings to life all the characters and the story with surprising ease. An avid Paul Temple fan or crime novel enthusiast will not be disappointed with this audio book. It has all the suspense and intrigue that you would expect, although a few more truly spine-chilling moments wouldn’t have gone astray.

Samantha Bawden is the owner of Dymocks Collins Place

NONFICTION

It’s All Good (written & narrated by Andrew Daddo, Bolinda Audio, $29.95, 5CD, ISBN 174163556X) ***

Andrew Daddo has written a number of children’s books—Creepy Cool, Girl Trap, Sprung!, You’re Dropped. But this time his audience is clearly adult (perhaps more specifically, Generation X). It’s All Good is an account of Daddo’s 1991 motorcycle journey across the United States with his friend Ray. Listening to this story I was reminded at various times of books and movies like The Motorcycle Diaries, Easy Rider and even Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which the author himself mentions. As the story progressed it contained elements of all these—and uniquely, from an Australian perspective. The title It’s All Good, says Daddo, is like ‘She’ll be right’. Whatever happens, everything works out in the end. Bolinda Audio’s unabridged six-hour reading is clear and well bookmarked. Daddo’s voice is well-paced and easy to listen to. I also found benefits in having the writer as a narrator in that no subtleties were overlooked. Daddo’s tone is honest, and his flashbacks to earlier experiences—as he makes sense of his life—ring true. Since It’s All Good was written for the younger daughter of his friend, I queried the appropriateness of expletives in some places. But this was my only reservation. It is enjoyable book and well-suited to audio.

David Bonn is the manager of Big Kangaroo Books, Alice Springs.

The Jesus Papers (written & narrated by Michael Baigent, HarperAudio, $44.95, 5CD, ISBN 0060876360) ***

Michael Baigent, author of The Jesus Papers, is the sole narrator of this abridged audio book in which Baigent searches for the truth about Jesus’ life and crucifixion. My initial reaction to the narrative was that it was clear and concise. The author reads the text clearly and at a good pace. The content is factual and has obviously been researched extremely well. Fact after fact is exposed, new assertions are founded and inconsistencies revealed. However, by the end of the first two CDs I found myself in information overload. There is so much fact and so little story, that the narrative becomes increasingly monotonous. I think that people with extensive knowledge of religious history will be interested in this audio book, but that readers who know little of the historical and religious background may become bogged down by so many names, dates and religious terms. Sound effects on the CDs are kept to a minimum. Other than a snippet of music at the beginning of each CD, there is little else to break up the narration.

Sharon Athanasos is a bookseller at Meg’s Bookshop, Port Pirie

CHILDREN’S

A Fox Called Sorrow: The Legend of Little Fur (written & narrated by Isobelle Carmody, Bolinda Audio, 4CD, ISBN 1741635195) ****

I have been an Isobelle Carmody fan since I first read Obernewtyn. How times have changed—I listened to her latest book on my computer! A Fox Called Sorrow is the second book in ‘The Legend of Little Fur’ series and continues the story of Little Fur, an elf troll with healing powers. In this book Little Fur’s fate becomes entangled with that of a mysterious fox called Sorrow. With the help of her animal friends, Little Fur must venture into the trolls’ underground city to save Sorrow and uncover the troll king’s evil plans. The audio book is read by Carmody, who has a pleasant, gentle-sounding voice, which is just as well as the narrator Little Fur is the size of a small child. Carmody also acts out the voices of other characters when they appear in direct speech. Occasionally I found my attention beginning to wander so perhaps the reading could have benefited from a bit more light and shade, but overall it was excellent. I would recommend these CDs for kids aged 8 to 12 who love fantasy and/or animals, although I would advise caution for the very young as some of the themes are quite dark. At 4 hours and 50 minutes this will definitely keep the back seat quiet for a long car ride.