CHURCHILL: A LIFE, Volume II 1918-1965

Gilbert's fast-moving and perhaps too admiring account of Churchill from his mid-40s on concentrates on his professional and political activities, skimming the off years, delving into detail during WWII. Narrator Christian Rodska moves the story along at an excellent pace, reading with understanding and precision, giving the text proper intonation and weight. He provides a good, if somewhat one-note, imitation of Churchill, a tactic that distracts at first, but eventually lends the account authenticity and vividness. He also imitates such figures as Neville Chamberlain and King George VI (the stammer). All Americans, however, get the same proficient accent and voice. It's an interesting, if somewhat superficial, biography matched with a reading that's always skilled and absorbing--and sometimes a tour de force. W.M. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2013]