BEYOND THE WHITE HOUSE

President Carter, who is perhaps as well known for his work after leaving office as he is for his presidency, writes about his work with the Carter Center. At times, the material can seem like a laundry list of his or wife Rosalyn's accomplishments, but the book excels when Carter goes into detail about activities such as election monitoring and guinea worm eradication abroad, and making life better close to home in Atlanta. Tom Stechschulte does a heartfelt reading, but his narration doesn't capture the natural easygoing charm of Carter's speech. Likewise, Barbara Caruso's brief passages are good, but listeners won't forget that she's not Rosalyn. Carter's admirers and foreign policy devotees will be satisfied, even if they're disappointed not to hear from Carter himself. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2008]