SHOOTER The Autobiography of the Top-Ranked Marine Sniper

Dick Hill reads this memoir of a Marine sniper and the invasion of Iraq in a strong and seamless New England accent. (Coughlin is from Massachusetts.) Hill’s dry, sometimes acerbic, sometimes cocky reading is skillfully mapped to the text, as Coughlin is a matter-of-fact professional doing a difficult job, scornful of incompetence, and proud of his abilities, of being a Marine, and of his unit, nicknamed “The Bull.” Occasionally a touch of gung-ho cockiness from the war’s start sounds hollow, but most of the text, though dealing with violence, is thoughtful and measured. This story doesn’t need help to hold the listener’s attention, but Hill keeps it lean, quick, and enjoyable. W.M. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine [Published: AUG/ SEP 06]