Boots on the Ground

Ray Porter brings a pitch-perfect journalistic narration style to this history of the Vietnam War based on interviews with both veterans and anti-war protesters. The factual interludes are clear and easy to follow, even when they cover large chunks of complicated political action. Porter also creates voices and accents to match the personalities and backgrounds of a wide variety of interviewees. He is especially adept at knowing when to add touches of the black humor people often use to get through difficult situations. Author Elizabeth Partridge narrates the prologue and the epilogue in a sincere tone that clearly reveals her emotional attachment to her subject and the people who are telling her their stories. N.M. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine