SIX WIVES The Queens of Henry VIII

Please don't be daunted by the heft of British historian David Starkey's reexamination of Henry VIII's six wives. Be glad about its size, for Paul Matthews's deft reading of Starkey's interesting and entertaining tome provides many hours of happy listening. Admittedly, making hour after hour of even the most fascinating narrative into a must-listen can be difficult, but Matthews pulls it off. His warm, resonant voice is an auditory pleasure. And he sounds genuinely fascinated with the subject, which encourages a listener's interest. His phrasing and pace are upbeat without sounding rushed; his pronunciation and articulation are superb. One wishes that family trees and who's who charts could be pasted into historical audiobooks. Other than that quibble, this is a perfect listen for first-timers to Henry's quest for an heir, as well as those who think they already know the story. A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/MAY 05]