Dennis Frank

The writing and reading went together seamlessly. It felt as if I was listening to Grant tell his own story.

I haven't listened to other performances by Field, but I will be!

With a story as grand and terrible as that of a civil war it's hard to choose one moment. Grant's dismay at the loss of life at Cold Harbor is particularly poignant as he recognized its futility and his responsibility for it.

To get the full picture of Grant's story, be sure to listen to the Appendix. These official reports offer insight into his decision making process that is sometimes missing from the narrative in the Memoirs proper.

I picked up this book after watching the movie and was pleased to recognize the story and characters. The author gives a convincing portrayal of mid-teens caught in a horrible situation, all reacting in different ways. The characterization helps us to understand the individuals reactions even with the large cast. I did feel that I knew most of the characters at least a little by the time they died.

The author also does an excellent job of set the stage for his tale. There is enough background to understand the society in which the events take place and he delivers it at appropriate times during the story. There is a bit of repetition in a few places, usually as we move from one chapter to another which could have used some editorial trimming, but the narrative moves along so quickly that it's soon forgotten.

The map and list of characters to print out was helpful. Like the students I was keeping track of the forbidden zones and the casualties. The Japanese names weren't an issue for me, but there were so many to keep track of!

There were a few technical issues with the recording with small skips but they were only minor annoyances. Likewise, the translation had a few odd moments and the reader, who did very well with the Japanese names, flubs coop (i.e., co-op) consistently. Again, minor issues with an otherwise excellent reading.

After watching the film and listening to the book, I doubt I'll bother with The Hunger Games.

Anyone who likes Heinlein's work should enjoy this story. It's not one of my favorites, but it _is_ Heinlein and that is always worth a read/listen.

This tale deals with throwing off the myths and stories of youth and taking healthy skepticism in appropriate directions.

I'm familiar with the reader from his work on The Dice Tower podcast but this was my first encounter with his professional life. I was very pleased with the variety of voices he used. He captured the flavor of Heinlein's work very successfully, making the story flow effortlessly.