Dead Souls.

Nikolai Gogol. 2003. Read by Gordon Griffin. 4 cds. 5 hrs. Naxos Audiobooks. 9-6263-4284-6. $26.98. Cardboard, plastic; content, reader notes. SA *

This remarkable novel, considered a masterpiece of world literature 150 years after its publication, was never finished. In this reading of Part One, our hero Chichikov arrives in a provincial Russian town and methodically sets about acquainting himself with the local dignitaries and landowners. The plot gets interesting--and the humor increasingly broad--as he begins scouring the countryside buying up dead serfs. The satirical tone and detailed observations of a culture rife with corruption across the social spectrum provide an entertaining, vivid picture of life in the Russian provinces in the 19th century and offer a hint of the social ferment that will end in the Russian Revolution in 1917.

Griffin's voiced reading is sophisticated and brilliant, especially his perfect pitch interpreting tone and irony. Riffs of delightful music at breaks set the mood. A pamphlet of informative notes about Gogol and his work, particularly this novel, accompanies the disks. An excellent audio, even if the story isn't quite complete. Jacqueline Edwards, Bedford, MA