Neil Armstrong

An author used to writing for the ear teamed with a veteran narrator makes this portrait of astronaut Neil Armstrong a rewarding audio experience. Jay Barbree covered the space program for NBC. His writing style is accessible and easy to follow and evokes plenty of mental images. Michael Prichard is his usual solid self, not adding false emotion to a story that is filled with excitement. At the same time, he varies his tone and pacing to keep the narrative flowing. The author spent years getting to know the usually reserved Armstrong, so he amassed a bounty of personal quotations, which are used effectively throughout the text. R.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine