How to Feed a Dictator

Recording this audiobook presented a challenge: how to differentiate the voice of the author from the subjects, the chefs of five infamous dictators--Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, Enver Hoxha, Fidel Castro, and Pol Pot? The decision to share the narrating duties among three talented performers elevates the listening experience. Michael Crouch handles the journalistic perspective of the author's voice; his delivery matches the investigative tone needed to parse the horrors of the dictators' reigns. Peter Francis James uses his clear, deep voice and straightforward delivery for the male chefs, and Maggi-Meg Reed expertly narrates as Pol Pot's cook (who still fervently believes in her leader) in an almost conspiratorial tone. This audiobook provides insights into the different cultures' foodways and the autocrats' personalities. A.D.M. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine

August 1, 2020

Polish journalist Szablowski (Dancing Bears: True Stories of People Nostalgic for Life Under Tyranny) explores history as seen from the kitchens of notorious dictators. The voices of three narrators set the table. Michael Crouch enthusiastically reads the third-person reports of Szablowski's interviews, which help frame the remaining narratives. The rich baritone of Peter Frances James smoothly handles the sometimes shockingly violent accounts of all but one of the cooks. Maggi-Meg Reed reads the only female cook, Moeun, who is seemingly and inexplicably infatuated with the murderous Cambodian dictator Pol Pot. VERDICT Recommended for those who enjoy history, foodways, and politics. The reader should be aware, however, that the fractured structure can make this book a bit confusing, though it is improved somewhat by the multiple voices. Additionally, the descriptions of sociopathic violence may be disturbing to some sensitive listeners. --David Faucheux, Lafayette, LA

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