THE LIVING AND THE DEAD

This abridged book interweaves the stories of five Americans touched by the Vietnam War and Robert McNamara's decisions as Secretary of Defense. Although the writing is good, the narration and abridgment detract. Hendrickson is both melodramatic and breathy, and he reads too fast at the beginning. This, coupled with choppy abridgment throughout, leads to confusion over which character is speaking and what's happening in the book. The author does slow down later and reads with more authority. Once the early roughness is over, the narration is interesting and easy to follow. R.I.G. ©AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: JAN 97]