SILENT RUNNING

Calvert tells the story of his service under the Pacific during WWII. He was the torpedo officer aboard the U.S.S. Jack during eight combat cruises and had a reputation for being a real “crack shot.” Patrick’s reading is easy to understand and a fine match for the text. He convincingly expresses the many emotions that a crew experiences during a combat cruise--the thrill of the chase, the excitement of the captain’s descriptions of torpedo hits and sinking ships, and the tension of the officers’ discussions. The reading of how Calvert was able to avoid having an affair while on leave is done with sensitivity. Unlike many memoir writers who mainly brag and boast, Calvert is gracious in regarding the faults of others, candid in telling his own, and humble in noting his deeds. Patrick’s admirable contribution to this fine work is in bringing out this humility. M.T.F. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 98]