Empires of Trust

Thomas Madden argues that both Rome, during the Republic, and the United States, since the fall of the Soviet Union, are reluctant superpowers. His revisionist and iconoclastic view is made palpable through a tour-de-force narration by Richard Poe, who deftly handles the Latin names and Greek concepts, and even does a surprisingly funny imitation of an invented conversation between French Prime Minister Sarkozy and President George W. Bush. Though separated by more than a millennium, the two empires share rural roots, isolationism, and a willingness to forgive and rehabilitate former enemies as well as global military supremacy. Professor Madden's knowledge of ancient Rome and insights into recent American history make this a stimulating audiobook. A.D.M. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine