HARRY S. TRUMAN The American Presidents Series: The 33rd President

An installment of the American Presidents Series, this is more of a summary of Truman's political career than a biography of his life. With minimal political experience and limited success in life, Harry Truman was ushered into office unexpectedly. In his simple way Truman led the nation through critical transitions: ending the war with Japan, facing the Soviets at the beginning of the Cold War, and, on the home front, dealing with the challenges of the New Deal and demands from labor. William Dufris's narration is like the book and not unlike its presidential subject: straightforward and brisk, not particularly exciting but quite useful. Dufris does best when employing a straight read of famous voices, and he manages to modestly enliven some dry stretches of narrative. N.M.C. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2009]