THE CASE FOR DEMOCRACY

Cited by the current administration as a strong influence on the president, Sharansky’s work is part political philosophy, part biography. The two genres are intertwined effortlessly by the former Soviet political prisoner who is now a political leader in Israel. Simon Vance presents a sophisticated and thoughtful reading. His voice is what one would imagine Sharansky’s voice might sound like: articulate, cosmopolitan, and passionate. Vance’s speech has the accent of one whose first language is not English, but who is a careful English speaker. The core argument is that the world is divided between free and “fear” societies and the way to fight the latter is by promoting freedom. Sharansky also argues that freedom is a universal aspiration of human beings. M.L.C. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 05]