THE GATES OF EUROPE A History of Ukraine

At a time when events in Ukraine are at the center of world events, an audiobook on its remarkable history is welcome. The book serves as a repository of sober analysis that counteracts the conflicting narratives put forth by both Ukrainian nationalists and the Russian government of Vladimir Putin. Narrator Ralph Lister has an impressively large British-accented voice that leads listeners through the text with insistence. However, his performance overshadows the text. Because he emphasizes everything he reads, we lose perspective and context regarding the extraordinary history of this nation. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2016]