THE KENNEDYS America's Emerald Kings

If you're expecting the same old gossip about the Kennedys, think again. Did you know that when Pope Pius XII was a cardinal, he sat on a sofa in the Kennedy house and that no one ever sat there again? Beginning with the seventeenth-century Irish struggle to defend Catholicism, the author weaves an artful blend of culture and history to introduce the eponymous Boston family--portraying the clan's men with their tragic hubris and uncontrollable hormones. Alan Sklar, whose voice is a deep-voiced delight, manipulates volume and speed to punctuate the long sentences with commas we cannot see. His familiarity with the material allows him to emphasize and minimize with precision, a covetable skill for history narrators. Passing the story through the muse in Sklar's mind doubles the enjoyment of the print version. J.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award
(c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 04]