Barack Obama

Maraniss's research skills, as evidenced by the sheer volume of information in his exploration of Obama's early life, are impressive. But his performance as a narrator is not. His voice is clear and pleasant enough, but he basically reads the text. The result is a plodding delivery that further weighs down the lengthy manuscript. This exhaustive biography, which begins years before the president's birth, spans several continents, and seems to include every person he has met, adds little new material to a familiar subject. Since this installment follows Obama only as far as law school, it's reasonable to anticipate another volume. In that event, Maraniss may be wise to consider the compelling arguments against authors narrating their own work. M.O.B. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine