The stories of Joyce Carol Oates plumb the cracks and crevices of the American psyche with a shining scalpel. This audiobook, read by three talented and empathetic narrators, mirrors the emotionally wrenching tales of unthinkable violence that permeate Oates's universe. Two stories, written as letters, are most affecting. First, "Dear Joyce Carol Oates" spotlights narrator Arthur Morey as he lets frustration and anger rise in his voice as a "fan" of the author reacts to her inattention to his queries. And finally, "Dear Husband" is read by Renée Raudman, who affects a flat tone in her voice as a wife—reminiscent of Andrea Yates—tries to explain how it's not her mate's fault that she's decided to murder their children.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2009
Duration: 14 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Tóibín empathetically describes characters in extreme moments, and the narrators bring their experiences...
Melancholy hangs like a low cloud over these powerful stories of displacement, adjustment, and self-revelation. Both Derbhle Crotty and Darragh Shannon deliver nuanced and persuasive performances, giving structure and meaning to the often spare and restrained prose. Their Irish accents add music to the proceedings. Shannon offers rich characterizations, and Crotty's pacing is thoughtful; she gets inside the protagonist’s head especially well in the novella-length concluding piece, “The Catalan Girls.” That story follows three sisters who spend most of their lives in Argentina before returning home to Catalonia. Two of the most affecting stories, “Sleep” and the title story, provide different takes on loss.
Tóibín empathetically describes characters in extreme moments, and the narrators bring their experiences eloquently to life.Pub Date: March 31, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 29 mins
DD ISBN: 9781797104768
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2026
Unfortunately, Erdrich's narration of these stories misses the mark.
The 13 stories in Erdrich's collection combine the everyday and the surreal. In the title story, a girl goes to stay with her grandparents while her parents bring home a new baby. She watches her uncle Jurgen slaughter livestock and recalls “meeting” a Burmese python during a school presentation. In “Domain,” a woman seeks to exact revenge on her father in a corporate afterlife. Pallas Erdrich narrates the stories in a straightforward manner, without many flourishes. The performance feels disjointed, however, as if she’s not fully engaged with the text, which can make it challenging to follow the threads of the stories.
Unfortunately, Erdrich's narration of these stories misses the mark.Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs, 34 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063375048
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
