THREE FAMINES

Keneally, who gave us SCHINDLER’S LIST, scores again with a portrait of three of the worst famines to strike the world since the middle of the nineteenth century—events that took place in Ireland, Bengal, and Ethiopia (twice). Peter Byrne’s simple, declarative delivery is at once clinical in its objectivity and heartrending in its passion. He makes us feel the pain and suffering of the victims he reveals. His narration flows smoothly among the three events, weaving them into a continuous tapestry of tragedy. Byrne’s Australian accent helps to enhance the international aspects of this odyssey across three continents. His timing and pacing perfectly complement the underlying histories. Students of government and social justice will appreciate the telling indictments of the regimes responsible for all three tragedies. M.C. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2012]