Who is Dominic Hoffman?

January 04, 2011

Have you heard of Dominic Hoffman? He is hardly a household name. I had not heard of him until I heard him narrate the audiobook, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, by Walter Mosley. Dominic Hoffman is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz, where he received his BA in English Literature. He received his formal training at American Conservatory Theatre, The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, and NYU Film School.  He is an actor working in television, movies, and live theater. He is also a writer and producer... an extremely talented and versatile man.

Although I've never been a fan of Walter Mosley, this book, in my opinion, is sheer genius and one of the best I've read in a long time. The characters resonate and touch the heart. The book is full of sly humor, greed, suspense, love, and human-ness.

Ptolemy grew up in Mississippi and as a poor black child during the age of Jim Crow laws, saw some pretty horrible things.  At the very old age of ninety-one, it seems all he has are memories. He knows there is something important he must do, a promise he had made decades ago but he has trouble remembering what it is. When a seventeen year old girl comes to help him and refuses to tolerate the way he has been living, Ptolemy moves out of isolation and back into friendship and desire.

Dominic Hoffman makes it all come alive.  His dialect and inflections are outstanding. This is one book I'd recommend listening to first.  The story, along with the narration, makes this a great experience.

Beverly D.
Riverside Branch