BALLAD OF THE WHISKEY ROBBER

"The Whiskey Robber," as bank robber Attila Ambrus was christened by a TV crime journalist, stumped Budapest police in the 1990s even as he lived above his means while in the public eye as a hockey goalie. Author Julian Rubenstein uses his account of Ambrus's fabled crime spree to create a portrait of life in a post-Communist Hungary marked by corruption, crime, and police helplessness. Rubenstein reads his own account in a voice that is often humorously deadpan, though occasionally monotonous. The production turns Rubenstein's vocal rough edges to advantage through the use of multiple voices, punctuating his narration with the quotes of the principal figures in the yarn. J.A.S. 2007 Audies Award Finalist © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/ MAR 07]