THE WAR TO END ALL WARS World War I

Russell Freedman's broad history of WWI is highly entertaining. Aimed at young readers, the book is engaging and action-packed from the start yet filled with enough detail for adults seeking an introductory text. The author excels at recounting the complicated military alliances at the root of the war as well as the repercussions of the conflict that led up to WWII. Narrator Zach McLarty delivers a straight narration that is consistently energetic and well paced throughout. However, a distracting aspect of the performance is his repetitive cadence. Fortunately, the production’s short duration and Freedman's interesting text make up for any shortfall in narration. J.R.G. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2010]