AMERICA'S VICTORY

Most people are unaware that Americans have been racing yachts since the 1850s. David Shaw tells the story of how a young boat designer created the AMERICA, a yacht that in 1851 would compete, and win, against the boats, and arrogance, of the British. The race is a relatively small part of the book, yet it is the most exciting, and the intensity of Patrick Cullen's somewhat monotone reading increases dramatically during this segment of the story. The remainder of the book focuses on events before the race, including AMERICA’s rough journey across the Atlantic to Britain. Overall, Cullen's reading is workmanlike, although he seems to lose focus during the book's more mundane passages. But the book succeeds because of Shaw's deep knowledge of sailing and his ability to convey it in terms even the least knowledgeable listener can comprehend. D.J.S. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/ JUL 04]