SURVIVAL LESSONS

After being diagnosed with cancer and beginning treatment, novelist Alice Hoffman found she was not able to find the type of guidebook offering the balm for the soul that she was seeking—so she set off to write her own guide to dealing with trauma. Narrator Xe Sands provides a heartfelt reading with vocal variation that at times incorporates just a bit of roughness in her voice to convey the strong emotions that are an integral part of dealing with life-and-death situations such as serious disease and loss. Tender, reflective, and approachable, Sands sounds like she’s speaking with a close friend or relative. For Hoffman's most personal work, Sands's personable tone complements the message of compassion. S.E.G. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2013]