TRIUMPH The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics

Schaap's audiobook is well conceived and well made--and its text is perfect for the medium. The biography of Jesse Owens is given enough time to flesh out his character and put a man behind all his achievements, but the story centers on Owens's record-breaking performance at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Schaap writes clearly, using short words and short sentences. Michael Kramer's no-nonsense delivery greatly enhances the production. Schaap wrote CINDERELLA MAN and has a flair for dramatic moments. Indeed, TRIUMPH seems written with a movie in mind; its last scene is a historical speculation on whether Hitler saluted Owens after the black American won his fourth gold medal. T.F. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 07]