Tomlinson Hill

In a book as personal as a family genealogy, the writing should be intimate and engaging, yet Tomlinson's style is somewhat clinical and remote. This makes it difficult for narrator David Drummond to fully engage the listener. Drummond does a solid job. His voice and diction are clear and easy on the ear. And he varies his pacing just enough to keep the material flowing. But he's never able to overcome the author's journalistic style. Thus, he's left sounding more like a news reader than a true narrator. That's a shame because the book brings history to life in a personal way that doesn't come through in audio. R.C.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine