CLOUDS OF GLORY The Life and Legend of Robert E. Lee

Korda’s long, detailed biography of Robert E. Lee, with emphasis on the Civil War years, reveals Lee to be America’s greatest tragic hero. Jack Garrett’s strong voice, expressiveness, and vigorous pacing give his narration energy and hold the listener’s interest. He does well matching his tone to the text’s sense, conveying the book’s sympathy and admiration for Lee while avoiding hero worship or hagiography. He has a slight tendency to read with too much emphasis and emotion—more performance than narration—but doesn’t go far enough to become distracting. Korda’s text and Garrett’s narration provide listeners with a good opportunity to know Lee’s story. W.M. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2014]