FUR, FORTUNE, AND EMPIRE The Epic History of the Fur Trade in America

Dolin’s book tells the story of America from Pilgrim times to the end of the nineteenth century by means of the fur trade, a driving economic force in discovery, exploration, and settlement. Tom Weiner’s narration is crisp and professional, his voice strong, if not especially engaging. It’s a bit too much like an announcer’s, but he’s expressive and sensitive to the text. However, he consistently reads a beat too fast. His pace might work for a novel, but there’s a lot to absorb in this detailed, fast-moving history. Listeners may find that they need to keep going back. The program would have been more enjoyable if he’d slowed down a bit to let the details sink in. W.M. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2010]