VOICES OF HISTORY

The British Library presents rescued and remastered excerpts of 42 historical speeches in English, German, and Russian. The first segment, taken from the dawn of sound recording in 1888, is an audio letter from British Prime Minister Sir William Gladstone to Thomas Edison. The stone-age sound quality defies all desire to comprehend. The audio presentation contains no introductions, translations, or identifications of the occasions or speakers. That crucial information comes in a printed folder, which should have been recorded for busy commuters and the visually disabled. This odd collection of disconnected discourses with a surplus of static should be considered a work in progress. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 06]