COLONEL ROOSEVELT

“Roosevelt bit off every word, as was his habit, with snapping teeth and wreathing lips.” Narrator Mark Deakins imitates the former president’s delivery, making it easy to distinguish Roosevelt’s numerous quotes, taken from speeches, newspaper columns, books, and letters. As the narration begins, Teddy has just finished eight years as president and is touring Africa and Europe, being received with all the pomp befitting a sitting president. Deakins does a tasteful job of keeping the endless cast of mentioned personalities in place, using appropriate voices and accents without ever making them comedic. His exemplary diction and easy-to-follow pace make listeners’ significant investment in time worthwhile. Deakins’s animated narration reinforces how tireless the Colonel was, even in his senior years and at 325 lbs. J.A.H. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2011]