1939: COUNTDOWN TO WAR

This brief book examines politics and diplomacy leading up to the outbreak of WWII, with a brief look at the initial violence. Simon Prebble’s crisp British accent and pleasant, slightly gruff voice fit the no-nonsense reportage and occasional analysis of a dreadfully serious historical moment. The book is brisk, and he keeps it moving but not so quickly that it becomes impossible to track its many people and events. The level of detail actually makes the story more interesting, rather than less so, and Prebble’s reading, never showy but clearly and well inflected, supports that interest. This is what listeners of serious nonfiction want: an intelligent book intelligently read. W.M. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2010]