A Time to Lead

Author Wesley K. Clark's latest work is an extremely personal memoir detailing his experiences as NATO commander in Kosovo and as a presidential candidate in 2004. With the intense subject matter that dominates the majority of the book, Clark never fails to deliver a captivating and thoroughly interesting reading, as wonderfully understated as it is emotional. Clark, an experienced public speaker, offers a solid and honest narration that will put listeners in his weighty shoes. It's clear that Clark is passionate and patriotic, and these characteristics carry over into his narration without sounding preachy. L.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

September 3, 2007
As a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, Clark created a groundswell of excitement with his impressive resume on the national security front and his ability to realign the partisan landscape with regard to defense issues. Yet despite some significant inroads, the Clark campaign remained a work in progress that never fully hit its stride. As narrator of his own memoir and call to action, Clark nicely captures dialogue from the most emotionally charged facets of his life story, especially his heart-wrenching battlefield experiences as both a young officer in Vietnam and a seasoned commander in the Balkans during the '90s. Clark also delivers a spirited retelling of prescient early encounters with such neoconservative stalwarts as Condoleezza Rice and Scooter Libby. When he reads the less autobiographical passages, though, Clark falls into a stilted delivery pattern where sentences lose their natural flow. Clark's inspiring rise to the pinnacle of public service offers built-in appeal for a core audience of political memoir devotees. However, other listeners may not muster the enthusiasm to jump on the bandwagon. Simultaneous release with the Palgrave Macmillan hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 25).

October 29, 2007
As a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2004, Clark created a groundswell of excitement with his impressive résumé on the national security front and his ability to realign the partisan landscape with regard to defense issues. Yet despite some significant inroads, the Clark campaign remained a work in progress that never fully hit its stride. As narrator of his own memoir and call to action, Clark nicely captures dialogue from the most emotionally charged facets of his life story, especially his heart-wrenching battlefield experiences as both a young officer in Vietnam and a seasoned commander in the Balkans during the '90s. Clark also delivers a spirited retelling of prescient early encounters with such neoconservative stalwarts as Condoleezza Rice and Scooter Libby. When he reads the less autobiographical passages, though, Clark falls into a stilted delivery pattern where sentences lose their natural flow. Clark's inspiring rise to the pinnacle of public service offers built-in appeal for a core audience of political memoir devotees. However, other listeners may not muster the enthusiasm to jump on the bandwagon. Simultaneous release with the Palgrave Macmillan hardcover (Reviews, Aug. 25).

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