Andrew’s Brain

Doctorow’s latest novel—structured as a series of conversations between a neuroscientist named Andrew and an unknown man at an unknown location—tells the story of Andrew’s life, while raising questions about memory, human consciousness, free will, and the mind. Narrating his own work, Doctorow delivers a winning performance. His reading is well paced and clear, and he does just enough to ensure listeners can differentiate between Andrew and his interlocutor. Additionally, Doctorow’s voice is imbued with a vulnerability and tenderness that work to add poignancy to his narration. While the author could have done more with character voices, his knowledge of his characters is clearly on display and this allows him to capture the spirit of his book. [em]A Random House hardcover. (Jan.) [/em]