Afterlife

By: Paul Monette

Narrated by: Clinton Wade

National Book Award-winner Paul Monette presents a transcendent, powerful novel of three AIDS widowers who have seen each other through the worst of times -- and have found the courage to hope for the best.

©1990 Paul Monette (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Unflinching portrayal of a temporary family

Overall, a very sad story, but we choose to bury this history at our peril.

I'd recommend Monette's autobiographical books for context (if you don't know much about the AIDS plague in the US).

The narrator is a fast talker, but it sounded fine to me at .85X playback speed. I listen to most fiction at .95X speed.

BEAUTIFUL WRITING, DIFFICULT SUBJECT

This is my first experience with this brilliant author who’s novel is so beautifully written. I thought the narrator for this piece was poorly chosen and was talking way too fast. I finally abandoned the audio for the printed page and was only sorry that I hadn’t done it sooner: This is not a book or an author who’s work should be rushed through.

Having said that, I will admit that the subject matter (the AIDS epidemic of the 1980’s) was at times very difficult to get through. I was living in San Francisco during this time. I wouldn’t say I lived through it exactly because, while I knew A LOT of people who were affected by it, got sick and died from it, I certainly did not experience it quite so close up and personal. If you want to get the full effect of the full blown horror of the whole thing, this is definitely a good place to start. It provides a really good insider’s view.