Book Club Connection by Susan LoTempio

"Pastoral" by disc

UB graduate and hard-working stage, screen and TV actor Ron Silver "reads" the audio version of "American Pastoral" (Phoenix Audio, $44.95) and is he ever good.

It takes 14 discs and 16 hours to tell the story of Swede Levov and his family, life and times. But Silver puts an intensity into Philip Roth's writing that makes it time well spent.

Silver's reading of the dialogue is amazing. The way he handles the long, long passages of literary naval-gazing is admirable. I never would have guessed that Roth's words could come so alive.

Literary listening

I usually have two books going at once. One in print, the other on CD in the car.

  After years of enjoying two books simultaneously, I've learned to make sure they are VERY different. Different writing styles, very different plots, even written about different eras.

  Otherwise, they start to blend into each other.

  Often the audio book is on the lighter side, and a past Book Club selection - "The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency" - is one of those books that might even be better as an audio "read."

  It's the first in a series of light mysteries written by Alexander McCall Smith, and it's not the sort of book I usually read. But since I read all the books we select for the Book Club (this one was featured in July, 2005), I plunged right in.

Luckily, I found the story enchanting, the setting fascinating and the lead character, Precious Ramotswe, one of the best characters in modern-day fiction.

What a hoot she is, and on the audio version, Lisette Lecat transforms Precious Ramotswe into a living, breathing, complex woman - embracing her warts and all.

Just for the fun of it, try an audio book. It makes driving during rush hour far less painful.