THE HONOURABLE COMPANY

If one is interested in the opening of India and the Far East, this is a fascinating, deeply researched, well-written narrative. Peopled by rogues and honorable men and women, the Company at one time controlled half the world's trade and a tenth of Britain's revenue with an armed force greater than that of many nations. Reader Geoffrey Howard doesn't inject great emotion, but his very slightly British voice flows effortlessly, paced somewhat slowly for maximum intelligibility. His pronunciations are accurate, and he never stumbles or hesitates. He's a good choice for this book; one tends to forget he's there. D.W. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT 96]