"Talk" about riveting prose

Don't know if you can view this article if you're not a New Yorker subscriber but do whatever you need to in order to read it. "Talk This Way," Alec Wilkinson's portrait of a man who clearly stumbled upon his natural talent then found a way to pick himself up and run is an original. I, for one, knew nothing about how actors learn accents, even as I've marveled at the flawlessness of many. Tim Monich, profiled in depth here, may be the answer. Matt Damon, Hilary Swank, Brad Pitt, Shia LeBeouff and no doubt a much longer list have Monich to thank for sounding variously South African, Amelia Earhartian, German, and as if they're from LungEyeland. One of those couldn't-put-it-down pieces.