DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT HISTORY

This book is perfectly formatted for the ear. It covers American history chronologically, but each individual topic is organized in a question-and-answer format. What's more, quotations from major figures from different historical eras provide diverse perspectives on key events in addition to the author's own solid explanations. Jeff Woodman and Jonathan Davis's delivery maintains a conversational tone. Their easy pace sounds like they're explaining these complex topics to a friend, and they're quite sensitive to the humor of the book. Enjoyable and educational, the book's only weaknesses are its economic explanations, which aren't as acute as the political ones, and a slight liberal bias when discussing twentieth-century topics. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 03]