A WICKED WAR Polk, Clay, Lincoln and the 1846 U.S. Invasion of Mexico

The Mexican War of 1846 was one of the most unpopular wars the U.S. has ever fought, leading to protests and Americans questioning their actions in the name of western expansion. This history is an excellent study of how the war was won on the battlefield and lost in public opinion. Narrator Caroline Shaffer has an earnest, sprightly voice that is clear and easy to follow. She reads with energy, varies her pitch and tone, and engages in character voices in order to keep the book moving. Shaffer’s speech has some popped consonants, and she has a tendency to over-enunciate. Those qualities make her voice sound forced and her reading more formal than is warranted, given the subject matter. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2012]