The Redhunter: A Novel Based on the Life and Times of Senator Joe McCarthy

Buckley, ever the sage political pundit, chooses the foil of fiction to present his gently revisionist view of Sen. Joseph McCarthy. The author reads his own heartfelt introduction, in which he reminisces that he ""knew the senator"" and calls him an ""extraordinary man."" He reminds listeners that McCarthy's crusade against alleged Communists in the U.S. government took place during ""the darkest days of the Cold War."" The novel itself is read with pleasant, smoky-voiced assurance by veteran audio narrator Cariou. A seasoned actor, he comes across wise, considered and compassionate. Thanks to Buckley's skills within the commercial fiction genre, the tale motors along with great velocity. McCarthy rises from his early chicken-farming days to seize ruthless power on the Senate floor. A parallel plot follows the career of World War II hero Harry Bontecou, whose life provides adventurous counterpart to McCarthy's. Buckley's wiles at turning an ugly historical episode into an adventure novel are considerable, and the result plays out as compelling audio. Also available unabridged. Based on the 1999 Little, Brown hardcover. (July)