From the Publisher
Inventive and extremely well-written. . . . Incredibly moving. . . . A remarkable performance.” —San Francisco Chronicle
“Matthiessen has produced, in expertly crafted and sometimes deeply affecting prose, an entertainment full of glittering color, nose-to-nose conflict and heroic gestures.” —The Washington Post Book World
“A work approaching the highest art, of the most serious purpose.” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch
“A haunting novel. . . . A sardonic wit and a huge fund of compassion illuminate its pages.” —Newsday
“A brutal yet compassionate narrative . . . that will remain long in the reader’s mind.” —Minneapolis Star Tribune
MARCH 2010 - AudioFile
Anthony Heald delivers all the zest and passion in Matthiessen’s well-known novel about the hypocrisy, condescension, and self-delusion in the white man's efforts to "civilize" the indigenous peoples of the South American jungle. Heald's characterizations are as lively and vivid as they are varied. From South American despots to American mercenaries to self-righteous missionaries, Heald's characters are fully realized, full of complexity and contradiction. Even if the characters are not remotely sympathetic, in Heald's narration they’re always recognizable. And though the novel is unmistakably tragic, Heald also renders the comedy uproariously. His rendition of Wolfie—the American Jewish soldier of fortune who is a force of nature—is a marvel. M.O. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine
