THE CURVE OF THE WORLD: A Novel

Stevens and Runnette combine their subtle, solid talents to bring this exciting and moving story vividly to life. Smartly abridged from Stevens's well-reviewed first novel, this audio version follows American Coca-Cola salesman Lewis Burke through various adventures of the body and soul, as his commercial jet is forced down on a deserted airfield in the Congo (making this perhaps not the best choice for airplane listening) and he flees into the jungle to avoid a band of dangerous rebels. Back home in the U.S., Burke's wife, Helen—separated from her husband not only by geography but by the strains of raising their blind seven-year-old son, Shane—sets off on a journey of discovery of her own, hoping to save Burke's life as well as their marriage. Runnette is adept at imbuing all the characters—including a remarkable Congolese boy who becomes Burke's guide—with an honesty and resonance that remain in the listener's memory. Simultaneous release with the Algonquin hardcover (Forecasts, Feb. 11). (May)