Travels in Alaska

Naturalist John Muir first traveled to Alaska in 1879 and made three more trips before the end of the century. These chronicles of his journey relate his observations of nature, glaciers and the many people he met. This classic deserves better treatment than narrator Noah Waterman provides. He reads at a breakneck pace with choppy phrasing and an almost breathless style. The other drawback to this audiobook is one that plagues any work about exploration: Without a map, the listener feels disoriented. M.A.M. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Far more than a travelogue, this book is a fascinating description of an untouched land at its most pristine. The author takes us on a natural journey; some of the natives he encounters have never seen a white person. Narrator Jonathan Reese captures the book's mood perfectly by using a subdued, quiet voice to detail Muir's expeditions. Reese has a low, earthy, almost gravelly tone that fits with the surroundings he describes. At the same time, he is assured and confident, with beautiful diction and pacing. Reese doesn't use any character voices, and none are needed. Muir's book is written well enough to stand on its own. Reese understands this and uses his voice to amplify, rather than reinterpret, the author's words. R.I.G. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine