Barons of the Sea

Arthur Morey narrates as if he's simply telling a story, and he puts the story first. Direct and engaging, matching sound and sense and controlling emphasis and pacing with effortless naturalness, he's like a knowledgeable friend talking directly to us, clearly and without affectation. Ujifusa's novelistic history of the early to mid-nineteenth-century China trade; how certain Americans, such as the Delano family (the "D" in FDR), grew rich in it; and the race to build and sail the fastest clippers is at times unfocused and burdened with too many names and details to keep easy track of. But the audiobook is informative, and Morey conveys the information with intelligence and skill. We have nothing to do but listen, learn, and enjoy. W.M. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine