AUDIO

Pretty Papers: A Christmas Tale

by Willie Nelson
with David Ritz. 5 CDs. 5:5 hrs. Books on Tape. Oct. 2016. ISBN 9781524708306. $32. digital download. F
COPY ISBN
Behind every country song is a story. This work is the fictionalized account of the life of the legless street vendor who inspired Nelson's hit song "Pretty Papers." Narrated by W. Earl Brown of HBO's Deadwood and a songwriter/musician himself, the story begins a bit stiffly, with Brown reading the lyrics to the song. When Brown moves into the section of the story told from down-and-out Vernon's point of view, his voice has a great raspy quality that melds perfectly with the story and the character. Unfortunately, this voice disappears when another piece of Vernon's story is revealed. Despite its minor narration flaws, this is a "feel good" Christmas story, well told.
VERDICT Recommended for public libraries and other collections where country music is popular. ["This engaging holiday musical treat by a country music star will delight all readers, particularly Nelson's fans": LJ 10/15/16 review of the Blue Rider hc.]
Reviewed by Karen Perry, Univ. of North Carolina at Greensboro , Feb 15, 2017
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