The Gamble

James Lurie's measured narrative style strikes the right tone for this controversial inquiry into the results of the "surge" in Iraq. Lurie's ability to emulate the voices of both generals and soldiers enhances the listening experience. He expertly dramatizes the war stories and coolly explicates the policy decisions. The decidedly guarded tone of this work is expressed through Lurie's apt rendering of the key players' opinions. Generals Patraeus and Odierno candidly criticize the previous flawed strategy. Ricks's thesis that we may be only at the midpoint in our engagement in Iraq comes across in this reportorial audiobook. The listener benefits from a series of brief musical interludes that allow for reflection after some of the particularly hard assertions regarding the recent past and a potentially long future in this region. A.D.M. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine