Arsenals of Folly

To capture the listener's attention, the story starts with the horror of the 1986 meltdown of the Russian nuclear reactor at Chernobyl. The author then segues into a biography of Mikhail Gorbachev and, finally, into a detailed description of the Cold War and the mutual buildup of U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons. Robertson Dean's precise diction and unhurried pace make for a comfortable listening experience. His deep, booming voice and resonating tone create an aura of mushroom clouds and nuclear winter as he recounts events that brought the world close to war during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis and the 1983 Russian shoot-down of a Korean airliner. While the audiobook is filled with tedious detail, this strong narrator will keep any drowsy listeners alert. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine