Cold War

David Painter's 14 lectures on the Cold War are characterized by clarity and methodical fairness. Painter starts with the origins of the Cold War in WWII and closes with a review of the struggle's aftermath. In between, he introduces various periods, partisans, and scholarly perspectives, as well as summarizes both Western and Soviet views of a range of key interactions. Painter's voice is always clear, and his delivery is well paced to allow comprehension. The lectures are structured to clarify complexities; Painter defines key terms and reviews essential points at the close of each one. The only weakness in the production is that the delivery can be dry. Painter includes an occasional joke, but from time to time he sounds like he's reading a prepared text. G.T.B. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine