WHY MARINES FIGHT

The author attempts to answer the title's rhetorical question by interviewing dozens of U.S. Marines, who recall their experiences in battles from WWII to Iraq II. The reasons to fight span a large spectrum: family tradition, a search for adventure, peer pressure to join up, the need to be tested, and the fulfillment of a childhood fantasy. Narrator Michael Prichard reads with an avuncular and resonant style, which he fills with nuance and expression to create a conversational experience. However, his technique of using the same voice for everyone makes it a supreme challenge for listeners to identify whose words they're listening to. Prichard must pronounce many foreign words and places; he handles all of them as though they were his native language. J.A.H. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]