ENERGY A Human History

Jacques Roy delivers what most listeners will consider an effective narration of author Richard Rhodes's history of the advances from wood to coal, from steam to internal combustion engines, and from whale oil to electricity and nuclear power. Roy's pace is not quite as brisk and focused as Rhodes's, but it's a good listening pace, and he blends into the narrative over time. One discordant note, however, is his accented readings of quotations by historical personages, which seem out of place in a work of history. Why should a passage written by James Watt in standard English be read with a Scottish accent? Jarring and often inept, these impersonations disrupt the flow of an otherwise engaging and informative narrative. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2018]