Wolf of the Deep

Whitener is the perfect choice to bring to life the exciting yet tragic adventures of Confederate raider Capt. Raphael Semmes, captain of the top secret warship Alabama . Whitener knows how to switch subtly from the voice of Fox's straightforward narrator to the Southern accent of the Maryland-born Semmes. Sounding like a Civil War veteran himself, Whitener tells how Semmes went from Southern hero—feared by the North because of his highly effective slash-and-burn raids on their shipping—to an outcast who found himself in charge of a sinking ship, unable to get desperately needed repairs at foreign ports. With Whitener's expert reading, listeners can relive Semmes's seagoing triumphs and disasters. And Civil War enthusiasts will have a chance to hear about the conflict's lesser-known episodes. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover (Reviews, May 14). (Aug.)