Battles, Ships & Glory: Exciting Moments in American History!

Rating:
Summary: 10 really good tapes!
Review: I have not yet listened to all of the programs in this monster pack of programs. But I have listened to more than half of them and love it. Too often people think American history is dull, these programs really do prove them wrong. This is a great gift for anybody that likes history.

Rating:
Summary: Superb Adaptations of American History
Review: The Colonial Radio Theatre has done a superb job in bringing American History to life through high quality audio theatre. This collection has ten exciting stories, each with a unique feel. I have been a history buff for over forty years, and it is great to see that these folks have been willing to do their home work, and have not taken the easy route so often done by Hollywood. They cover subjects as diverse as Paul Revere's Mid-night ride, to the adventures of Old Ironside (my favorite), The Alamo, the Pilgrims, Little Big Horn and Bunker Hill. I have seen many of their products for sale in various museum shops and National Park service locations (so you know they have their history correct!) Some of these tapes can be a little violent, but are not overly so, Jerry Robins is very good at getting the point acrossed with out being too graphic... (like how would you do the battle of Alamo justice other wise?) They are surprisingly popular with my kids, and it is great to see them enjoying something that is fun and educational. I am still trying to figure out why my four year old daughter loves the Pilgims tape so much, the language is very sophisticated and I would have thought a little beyond her(she might just be a future historian). Each show has hundreds, if not thousand of sound effects which are wonderfully layered in to paint an incredible mental picture, while the music scores are very deep, rich and often true to the historic period. If you know a history buff, are looking for something a little educational for the kids, or just happen to be a lover of old time radio dramas, I strongly suggest giving these a listen. (By the way, it is so good to finally hear somebody actually pronounce Jim Bowie's name correctly!)

Rating:
Summary: a wonderful change of pace
Review: Tired of the same old dry history books? With this collection of American history stories you will be anything but bored. Lots of rousing action and adventure will keep you rivited to your seat. I particularly liked the Little Big Horn and Alamo programs. From what I know about history, these tapes are very true to form, and "tell it like it was". I really enjoyed them and would suggest that they will make a great gift to anyone that you know who enjoys history.