THE STATE OF JONES

Narrator Don Leslie blends the skills of a storyteller and a teacher to offer the listener entertainment that provides a new perspective on the Civil War. His straightforward presentation mirrors the accessible format of the text, in which the authors balance documented historical fact with local and family lore to tell the story of maverick Newton Knight and Jones County. This abridgment delivers plenty of riveting detail, and Leslie successfully carries the listener through the horror and intensity of the battlefield while also bringing a personal, human dimension to the overwhelming issues that caused families, states, and ultimately the entire nation to rupture. This is not just for history buffs. Any listener who wants to hear a good story will appreciate this intriguingly different view of the Civil War, Reconstruction, and the continuing struggle for Civil Rights. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2009]