THE OATH

Russia's war with Chechnya rarely makes headlines in North America, and when it does, the people of the separatist Muslim republic are usually painted as terrorists. In this riveting audio, Chechen surgeon Khassan Baiev tells the other side of the story. Baiev refused to distinguish between Russians and Chechens in his operating theater, a decision that made him enemies on both sides. His home was rocketed, he was kidnapped and tortured, and he narrowly escaped execution several times. Robert O'Keefe's voice has a musical timbre, and he's confident with the Russian names. But his agonizingly slow delivery doesn't keep up with the fast-paced narrative. D.B. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]