THE HISTORY OF RASSELAS

Samuel Johnson's brief 1759 tale is about a Prince of Abyssinia who escapes the restrictions of a cloistered kingdom to find his own way in life. It's more a philosophical examination of the good life than a novel. Peter Wickham's mature, lightly raspy but still pleasing voice; British accent; and clear, precise narration suit the period prose. He doesn't vary character voices greatly but does enough to distinguish them. His performance is expressive as it brings out the sense of a narrative more measured and rhetorically precise than exciting or emotionally demonstrative. He is true to both the sense and period nature of the text and able to deliver it enjoyably for any listener interested in Johnson's stately fable. W.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2024]