FDR

Roosevelt took office in the throes of a horrible economic crisis for the U.S. The controversial New Deal was his emergency response to the Depression. Upon his inauguration, like President Obama, FDR appealed to a Democratic Congress and went to work spending money to create jobs. Narrator William Hughes handles the rapid-fire political and economic details without theatrical characters or emotion. With a quick pause in the narration, he makes it clear when he speaks the words of someone not the author. Hughes enhances the sometimes-tedious rhetoric by varying his pitch and rhythm, making the delivery conversational. Hearing this audiobook in the light of the new Obama administration, facing similar challenges, makes it more timely and appealing than it might otherwise be. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine