I’ve long been a fan of Thomas Harris and his anti-hero Hannibal Lecter. In Hannibal Rising, the forth book to include Hannibal, the author goes back to the dawn of the second world war and shows us where, and how, Hannibal came into being.
I actually purchased an unabridged audio version of the book, read by Thomas Harris, and listened to it rather than read it. It was very good, and you come away almost liking, if not rooting for, Hannibal.
Rating: Listen with some fava beans and a nice Chianti