Great American Authors Read from Their Works, Vol. 1

"Lifeguard," as read by Updike, gives insight into a young man's arrogance and ego. The most skilled reader is undoubtedly Philip Roth, who believably creates three separate characters in "Letting Go." Liner notes will help listeners understand the time in which the writings take place as well as the context of each work. "From Here to Eternity" and "The Thin Red Line" are Jones's war stories that reveal a poetic horror. Baldwin's stories, "Another Country" and "Giovanni's Room," are intensely personal, with adult language, suicide, and sexuality. These masterpieces are all notable examples of 20th-century American short stories, and hearing the writers interpreting their own words is a rare treat.—Lonna Pierce, MacArthur and Thomas Jefferson Elementary Schools, Binghamton, NY . Algren's "The Man With the Golden Arm" refers to a card shark and addict, while Malamud's "Mourners" is a view of decrepit old age at its most unbearable. Styron's "Lie

"Revelatory" according to Amazon Customer. Hearing these authors read their own work gave me a whole new level of understanding. I feel so lucky that these recordings were made. Volume 1: James Baldwin reading from Another Country and Giovanni's Room, William Styron reading from Lie Down in Darkness, James Jones reading From Here to Eternity, and Philip Roth reading from Letting Go.. Red Robin said Wonderful if you like to hear the voices of some. Thank heavens there is an actual recording of James Baldwin. Gave this to my niece as a gift and she was thrilled. She is a big fan of Baldwin and couldn't believe I found this. Wonderful if you like to hear the voices of some of the world's greatest authors.. "A Real Pleasure" according to Amazon Customer. Great American Authors is a treat for the mind, the ear, and nostalgia for former standards of literature. Excellent disk.

James Jones reads the famous passage in From Here to Eternity where Pvt. Philip Roth does a comic turn in a scene from his early book, Letting Go.. The readings by James Baldwin from Another Country and Giovanni's Room explore the dilemmas of being black and gay in mid-twentieth century America. Prewitt plays Taps. William Styron reads about a disabled child finding joy in his novel about a troubled southern family, Lie Down in Darkness