LOUIS XIV The Power and the Glory

Kate Reading's expressive and energetic narration of this birth-to-death biography of France's Louis XIV animates a history that is itself refreshingly brisk, factual, and accessible. "The Power and the Glory" is author Wilkinson's weighty subtitle, but her focus is more on the private and court life of the king, and is intended for a general audience. Reading's command of French and of proper nouns in other European languages is particularly impressive but sometimes out of sync with her English phrasing--possibly a result of editing. This is mildly distracting. However, her narration of the French-Dutch-English wars is a virtuoso display of linguistic precision and dexterity. D.A.W. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2019]