The Wind in the Willows
α’αααΈααααα βααΆααα‘ααααα
The Wind in the Willows is a book for those βwho keep the spirit of youth alive in them; of life, sunshine, running water, woodlands, dusty roads, winter firesides.β So wrote Kenneth Grahame of his timeless tale of Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad, in their lyrical world of gurgling rivers and whispering reeds, a world which is both beautiful and benevolently ordered. But it is also a world threatened by dark forcesββthe Terror of the Wild Woodβ with its βwicked little facesβ and βglances of malice and hatredββand defended by the mysterious Piper at the Gates of Dawn.
In the end, Grahame triumphantly succeeds in conveying his most precious theme: the miracle of loyalty and friendship. This tale of four friends and their adventures is a timeless classic that will inspire and delight listeners of all ages.
α’αααΈβα’ααααα·αααα
Kenneth Grahame (1859β1932), Scottish-born author, was raised by his grandmother in Berkshire, England, along the banks of the Thames River. He began working at the Bank of England in 1879. As a pastime, he wrote light nonfiction and articles for newspapers. The Wind in the Willows, originally written as letters to his son, established him as a writer of childrenβs books and had a deep influence on fantasy literature.
Mary Woods began her career in Washington, DC, where she performed at Fordβs Theater, the Folger Theater, Round House, and Washington Stage Guild. She spent several seasons at New Playwrightsβ Theater developing new American plays. She is a veteran narrator of Talking Books for the Library of Congress, and received the Alexander Scourby Narrator of the Year Award for fiction in 1996. Formerly a radio news director, she now hosts a daily local affairs interview program on Catholic Radio, for the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. She lives in Albuquerque, where she continues to act on stage and in film. She received her BA at the Catholic University of America in Fine Arts and Drama.
