INSIDE, OUTSIDE

Every Herman Wouk book is like a stand-alone opus, and this audiobook is no different. The story of Israel David Goodkind makes for a touchingly funny novel that benefits from the performance of narrator Peter Berkrot. Written in the first person, the audiobook excels because Berkrot inhabits Goodkind's psyche, skillfully delivering Wouk's words in a manner reminiscent of the best New York comedians. Listeners follow Goodkind's life from his youth through college and to the Nixon White House, where he serves as a low-level bureaucrat. Berkrot's delivery is consistently charming, especially his voicing of Yiddish references that enhance the story's authenticity, making this one of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author's best works. D.J.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2018]