THE COLDEST WINTER America and the Korean War

Edward Herrmann, charged with the engaging and colorful story of the Korean War, is engrossed and engrossing. Each word has a tiny twist of nuance. He reads a paragraph like he’s studied and rehearsed it over and over. Without losing his detached dignity, he changes the mood of his voice from the suspense of waiting for an attack to the chaos of battle. His strong voice becomes the unifying factor in David Halberstam’s recount of the war and its principals. The biographical portraits of Mao, Stalin, Truman, General MacArthur, and many soldiers trumpet the author’s historical skill. Since the problem of North Korea hasn’t gone away since 1950, the production offers a spoken way to study its history and American involvement there. J.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 07/ JAN 08]