The Candy Bombers

The Americans, French, British, and Soviets shared joint stewardship of post-WWII Germany, but Stalin wanted all of Europe to himself. The Cold War had started by late 1945, and the Russian blockade of West Berlin in 1948 found a world unprepared to retaliate. As with many military histories, the author didn't write this to be entertaining, and narrator Jonathan Davis can do little to make it so. Placing unnaturally long pauses after every period gives the impression of disinterest or fatigue on his part, and the annoying silences prevent him from establishing a smooth listening experience. The audiobook's strength comes from the abundant details about Germany's reconstruction, including the Berlin Airlift, which secretly dropped candy on German kids' heads on approaches to landings. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine