MY LIFE IN POLITICS

Jacques Chirac's memoir chronicles the man who rose to politics in his thirties and was elected mayor of Paris, prime minister, and president of France. As president, he refused to believe that weapons of mass destruction were in Iraq and rejected American demands for French participation in the invasion. Much of this revealing book depicts the forces that shape today's world. But Stefan Rudnicki's ponderous reading makes listening a chore. While his enunciation and diction are understandable, his gravelly voice and low intonation are distracting; furthermore, his French accent isn’t credible. But his deep, rich baritone interpretation does lend this somber topic the necessary gravitas. Chirac earned the nickname “Le Bulldozer,” a reflection of his relentless drive and meteoric rise. A.W. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2013]