LEVIATHAN

Hobbes's 1651 masterwork of political and ecclesiastical philosophy is generally clear and succinct, though not always easy. Narrator Peter Wickham uses emphasis, tone, pacing, and pauses admirably to convey Hobbes's meaning, but even his clarity may not always get the sense across at first listen, and at times he reads a touch too quickly for the material. There is great variety in his tone, but over the course of the long text, that variety can take on repetitive patterns and seem singsong. Hobbes is arguing and persuading, and even Wickham's cultured reading can sometimes seem like a harangue. But it's still an accomplished presentation of this long and occasionally difficult text, and anyone who wants his or her Hobbes in this format should be grateful for it. W.M. © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2017]