What is truly in the minds of the people who fight a war? Bull Run is the voices of the frontline soldiers, their friends and families, their leaders. North/south, white/black, adult/child- a disparate and compelling choir of voices relates the carnage of war in a totally unique way.

A superb symphony of 12 voices will both delight and move the listener in this marriage of evocative text and remarkable characterizations. Paul Fleischman's Civil War tapestry is hung to wonderful advantage as the author, portraying James Dacy, joins 11 other readers to render the stories of 16 common men and women: soldiers, leaders, observers, sisters, mothers and children. The story is rich with Northern and Southern cadences, dialects of race and region, a thick German accent, and a sonorous Scottish brogue; each voice is entirely distinct, offering the listener a strong advantage over the print reader of this complex book. The occasional crack of gunfire or lyric of a Civil War melody dresses up the compelling reading. Fleischman's author's note, read at the end of the production, sheds additional light on the creation of this remarkable book. T.B. Winner of AUDIOFILE Earphones Award (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

 

"A superb symphony of voices will both delight and move the listener in this marriage of evocative text and remarkable characterizations - offering the listener a strong advantage over the print reader of this complex book."

 

"A talented cast...rises to the task with gusto, handling dialect and accent with much care. All in all, this is a memorable, human look at history."

 

"The Civil War comes alive ...Bull Run is perfectly suited to audio format and this production offers a rich mix of vocal styles and will entertain a wide range of ages and interest groups."

 

"The sixteen voices in this multi-voices production allow the book to be heard as it was meant to be: an intricate piece of music with movements, recurring themese and interwoven melodies. Overall this recording surpasses the fine version by Recorded Books."

 

Born and raised in California, Paul Fleischman - son of the well-known children's book author Sid Fleischman - has written more than twenty books, many of which celebrate his love for natural history, and for music. With his Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices, Fleischman garnered the 1989 Newbery Gold Medal. About his writing for children and young adults, he states: " Music runs all through my works."

Bull Run, a symphony of sixteen voices, is singularly spectacular, and certainly no exception. Fleischman himself appears as one of the voices on the Bull Run recording, and concludes the tape with a discussion of why he writes in the style he does, "weaving characters' lives together like a tapestry or symphony." For more information on this highly acclaimed writer, see: www.paulfleischman.net

Bull Run by Paul Fleischman
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