THE GREAT POETS: RUDYARD KIPLING

As poetry often is read aloud in schools and at poetry slams, many listeners may have high standards for spoken verse. Happily, this fine production meets those expectations and reminds us that poetry is meant to be read aloud. Three very different but excellent readers present all of Kipling's standards in this beautifully packaged presentation, including "If," "Danny Deever," "Gunga Din," "Mandalay," and "Boots." Even some lesser-known works, such as "Gods of the Copy Book," appear. Each of the able narrators manages to sound different from poem to poem, matching the pacing and the tone of the contemplative pieces, as well as the rousers. This is a reminder of why many of Kipling's lines have become part of our lexicon. R.E.K. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2008]