Clifford

The Middle East has been in turmoil for all my life; this audio book documents how this strife goes back a great deal longer. While our politicians have sometimes used self-interest and expediency to justify meddling in the area, we are now reaping the whirlwind. For me this audio book gives much needed historic background, corrects some of my assumptions and, I hope, gives me some insights into why the area is such a recurring flash point and worry to the world and why the peoples of the region seem destined to such constant misery.
A drawback of this audio book is that while the reader mentions maps and tables and other items as he reads from the print text, these are not available to an Audible listener. I listen on an ipod-- perhaps a series of "authors' bookmarks" and an interactive index might complete the experience.

Why didn't Hitler's Nazi Germany use poison gas to stop the Allies? It's a good question but Greg Iles has made a disappointing novel from that fine start.The characters are poorly drawn with stereo types galore including a pacifist American nerve gas expert, a Zionist fighter, an eye-patch wearing soldier, etc., etc. Plot situations are developed with disaster following disaster following coincidence around a really complicated attack on a slave labor camp producing gas deep in Germany.
As a student of World War two, there was little to like; as a lover of action novels, there was even less to enjoy here.

I am really enjoying Connely's Harry Bosch detective series. It's writing and performance is very evocative. Now on book four and there are plenty more.

The Deep South accent of the main character sometimes had me almost siding with the Nazis.

The pacifist American nerve gas expert, the Zionist, the eye-patch wearing German officer, etc., etc.

Don't buy this listen. There are far better choices out there.