Alex Kotlowitz narrates his audiobook about gun violence in Chicago, and he provides the necessary pathos and emotion you'd expect when an author reads his own work. He has a deep voice and excellent diction, and he knows when to pause for effect, raise or lower his voice for emphasis, and heighten his emotions to make a point. However, he does narrate like a person without vocal training: He trails off at the ends of sentences, can be monotonous at times, finds difficulty in ending sentences emphatically, and can have mushy pronunciations. Even with all of that, this audiobook is a powerful work that focuses on an unconscionable problem, and a great deal of its power comes from the fact that the author narrates.
Pub Date: March 5, 2019
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781984841155
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Buckley offers a reasonable proposal for a national service program without jail or criminal penalties. Narrator Lawrence reads with a slow and careful announcer's voice; one wishes Buckley were reading this one himself. Books on Tape does its usual quality job with formatting, packaging and tape-turning instructions. The reader repeats the last sentence at such times, so you're sure you haven't missed anything. Popular nonfiction collections will appreciate Gratitude, and the topic is likely to prove timely in the years ahead.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 5 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Kozol’s shocking exposé of inequities in the funding of our public schools contrasts white suburban schools with those serving black and Hispanic populations. Interviews with students, teachers, and school administrators add eloquent testimony to Kozol’s disturbing presentation of facts. Narration by Jack Winston is clear and brisk, but the pace is unrelenting, with little pause for transition between scenes or chapters. Winston’s cool, detached voice contrasts with Kozol’s impasssioned and outraged message. The sheer repetition and magnitude of Kozol’s damning evidence is numbing; the narration gives no relief. Powerful medicine, most easily taken in small doses. Music signalling tape changes is jarringly inappropriate.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 8 hrs
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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