BARE KNUCKLES AND BACK ROOMS

Rollins's gravelly voice and use of expletives make this biography exude authenticity. It portrays a hard, honorable man whose political consulting (mostly Republican) had great ups and downs. At one time he was President Reagan's top political adviser, and he was also involved in the Ross Perot and Christine Todd Whitman campaigns. The relentless edge in his self-portrayal gives this reading a compelling quality. He spares no one, not even himself, in detailing political triumphs and blunders. D.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 97]