Agincourt

This little study of Henry V's routing of the French army in Normandy in 1415 will be welcomed by medievalists, weaponry buffs, and lovers of Shakespeare's histories. The background of the battle is rich, and the moment itself is vivid. (As battles go, this one was remarkably short, compared to the long shadow it casts in national memory.) David Case reads laconically but accurately, though it is possible to doubt some of his French, and even his Latin, pronunciation. The real drawback--and it is one--is that it is difficult to appreciate the narrative without referring to maps. For those who can manage it, an atlas at the elbow will increase pleasure. B.G. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine