The voices of the women are really incredible--brought tears to my eyes-- their accents, their choices of words are really emblematic of another era and place. The producer does a great job mirroring their two stories, reminding us that despite the great divide between North and South, black and white, the joys/comforts of marraige and the hardships of the Great Depression were shared across the country.The other reviewer is right is saying that it's really not a piece on the Civil War, but rather a very honest portrait of two women-- the story of 20-some year old women marrying 80+ men in the early 1900s is inherently pretty fascinating. My only criticism is that I would have preferred a shorter narrative lead in and lead out.
What a subject ! I'm listening to this late and it's a perfect bedtime story. While neither widow has much to say about the civil war, it doesn't matter an iota. Their stories are SO captivating and eloquently revealed. Richman is an unobtrusive narrator: he lets both stories waltz to their own music til the end, when he reappears with the insider's quirky coda.
This is great for Black history month, valentine's day, and for no good reason other than a good story, like bedtime.
vm
Comments for Civil War Widows
Produced by Joe Richman/Radio Diaries
Other pieces by Radio Diaries
Rating Summary
2 comments
Laura Wiens
Posted on February 27, 2005 at 12:33 PM | Permalink
Review of Civil War Widows
The voices of the women are really incredible--brought tears to my eyes-- their accents, their choices of words are really emblematic of another era and place. The producer does a great job mirroring their two stories, reminding us that despite the great divide between North and South, black and white, the joys/comforts of marraige and the hardships of the Great Depression were shared across the country.The other reviewer is right is saying that it's really not a piece on the Civil War, but rather a very honest portrait of two women-- the story of 20-some year old women marrying 80+ men in the early 1900s is inherently pretty fascinating. My only criticism is that I would have preferred a shorter narrative lead in and lead out.
Transom Editors
Posted on February 03, 2004 at 07:48 PM | Permalink
Review of Civil War Widows
What a subject ! I'm listening to this late and it's a perfect bedtime story. While neither widow has much to say about the civil war, it doesn't matter an iota. Their stories are SO captivating and eloquently revealed. Richman is an unobtrusive narrator: he lets both stories waltz to their own music til the end, when he reappears with the insider's quirky coda.
This is great for Black history month, valentine's day, and for no good reason other than a good story, like bedtime.
vm