TURBULENCE

Predicting a week’s weather in 1944 did not have the scientific accuracy it does today. This fascinating account explores the role weather played in the D-Day offensive of WWII. A team of Allied scientists is charged with providing the most accurate weather forecast possible five days before the advance at Normandy. Sean Barrett ably portrays meteorologist Henry Meadows, an older man who is recalling the distant past of the war years. The story then flashes back to his younger self as he plays his part in the launching of the D-Day attack. Barrett narrates Foden's blend of fact and fiction with a piercing intensity, building suspense effectively as the scientists work to identify the perfect day and time to launch the offensive. In particular, Barrett credibly renders the conflict between the military officers responsible for the success of the battle and the struggling meteorologists trying to support them. A.W. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2010]