The Zealot and the Emancipator

Narrator Robert Fass turns his well-practiced skills to this detailed story of the oft-maligned abolitionist John Brown and the conflicted U.S president Abraham Lincoln. Brown's political impact is used to reflect that of Lincoln, and vice versa. Fass guides listeners through the early days of abolitionist thinking, the violent events of Brown's Harpers Ferry uprising, and the reception of the Emancipation Proclamation by a divided nation. Fass's performance is crisp and clear, his inflection perfectly poised for every situation. Though the material can be emotionally difficult to hear, Fass's thoughtful narration allows listeners to take in the events without being distracted by how the material is delivered. V.B. � AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine