cover image A Truck Full of Money: One Man's Quest to Recover from Great Success

A Truck Full of Money: One Man's Quest to Recover from Great Success

Tracy Kidder, read by Paul Michael. Random House Audio, unabridged, 7 CDs, 8.5 hrs., $40 ISBN 978-0-7352-1034-9

Actor Michael brings a considerable range of talents to the latest offering from Pulitzer Prize%E2%80%93 and National Book Award%E2%80%93winner Kidder. Kidder's book chronicles the adventures of tech-industry giant Paul English, best known as cofounder of the travel search engine Kayak, which was acquired in 2012 by Priceline for $2 billion. Michael's gifted elocution makes for an aesthetically pleasing listening experience, but his matter-of-fact style of delivery for the emotional portions of the book that deal with English's longtime struggle with mental illness may surprise some listeners. Yet this restraint reflects Kidder's understanding of English as a no-nonsense blue-collar kid from South Boston who stays in constant motion while working toward tangible goals both big and small. There are some sections where emotions seep out naturally from the anecdotes being related, such as the charming little passage portraying English's efforts to help his dying father cope with bad cable television service. A Random House hardcover. (Sept.)