"Swords to Ploughshares" shows all the hallmarks of good storytelling--a personal narrator, imagistic recollections, and unexpected turns in topic. Structurally, the piece shows a sophistication that I find uncommon. As listeners, we're pulled into a war story that takes a surprise turn into agriculture--it's a reminder that war affects every aspect of life, and that peace reacts in the most unexpected ways.

That being said, I think the piece errs on being a little too long and over-produced in some places, but these are subtleties that only the most attentive listeners may notice.

I don't know who Alix Blair is, but after listening to other pieces she's done on PRX, I'm convinced she's got a bright future. Can't wait to hear more from her.