JUDAH P. BENJAMIN: THE JEWISH CONFEDERATE

Little is known about Judah Benjamin, the first acknowledged Jew in the Senate and Attorney General, Secretary of War, and Secretary of State of the Confederacy. Through background information from diaries and letters about Jewish life in the pre-Civil War South, Evans places Benjamin in historical context. However, Kandinsky's neutrality and lack of intonation detract from this fascinating story. His even tone and expressionless narration fail to enliven the interesting characters. Compounding these problems, Kandinsky's pronunciation of Hebrew words in inaccurate. This valuable biography would be more successful with a narrator who adds the life this unusual personality deserves. M.B.K. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 94]