LEADING LADIES American Trailblazers

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, (R)-Texas, examines the lives of American trailblazers, such as First Ladies Jacqueline Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson; military leaders Sarah Emma Edmonds, Anna May Hayes, and Virginia Hall; writers and activists Pearl Buck, Toni Morrison, Jane Addams, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton; and women of science and medicine, such as Alice Hamilton. This list is far from complete as other remarkable women are also featured. As narrator, Hutchison employs a flat, inexpressive narrative quality that lacks energy. The presentation does not match the history-making drama found in these women's accomplishments. This is a shame as these stories deserve a first-rate audio presentation. Additionally, the lack of liner notes listing the women included in the program is frustrating. M.R.E. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: APR/ MAY 08]