This recording doesn’t do very well by him. Yuri Rasovsky’s January “Yurika!” column arrived just in time to explain why. Rasovsky discusses the importance of giving the author/narrator of a book a distinctive character. Rob McQuay seems doggedly determined not to, in spite of Ferguson’s lyrical style. When someone other than the author speaks, McQuay displays ample ability to voice a character, but he renders the author himself with perfunctory blandness. Occasional misplaced stresses suggest that he isn’t even paying much attention to what the words mean. Ferguson deserves a more enthusiastic advocate behind the microphone. J.N. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/SEP 98]