The Dead Ladies Project: Exiles, Expats, and Ex-countries

In this unusual and absorbing travelogue, Crispin pursues some of her favorite dead artists to their places of exile, intent on learning how they were able to “scrape their lives clean and start again elsewhere.” Traveling throughout Europe, she draws comparisons among historical figures (William James, Nora Barnacle, Maud Gonne, and others), their personal challenges, and the ways in which Crispin grapples with the modern world and the life she left behind. Voice actress McFadden reads in a clear, sharp, and unwavering voice. She maintains a lively and energetic voice, which may seem at odds at times with the more morose and melancholic tone of the prose, but she keeps listeners engaged. Additionally, she handles accents and foreign language flawlessly, and her quoted voices come across as distinct and real. A Univ. of Chicago paperback. (Apr.)