Corey Allen's voice talents shine in this production, which covers a few critical months in the Civil Rights Movement—from the Memphis trash collector strike in early 1968 through Martin Luther King, Jr.'s, tragic assassination later that spring. Allen's pacing is excellent throughout, particularly his thoughtful, well-placed pauses, which emphasize pivotal moments and key facts. He handles a variety of firsthand accounts—from that of an experienced female marcher to that of the mayor of Memphis—with ease. Rather than try to emulate King, which would be nearly impossible, Allen uses the depth and richness of his own voice to bring life to the charismatic civil rights leader's words. This short production does a superb job making an important period in American history compelling for today's young listeners.
(Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2013
Duration: 2 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781470341862
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
A powerful and empowering listening experience.
Narrator Lee Osorio grounds this sobering history of the 1980s–1990s American HIV/AIDS epidemic, with additional emotionally attuned performances from Alejandro Antonio Ruiz, Avi Roque, Tyla Collier, and others, giving voice to profound memories, joyful and heartbreaking poetry, and other primary source material. The casual cruelty audible in selected recordings, like one from a 1982 White House briefing, emphasize how government indifference and public antipathy contributed to delays in support for medical treatment. Thrumming at the heart of this production are the visceral experiences of people who live and lived with HIV and AIDS, including hard-hit LGBTQ+ communities and communities of Black and Indigenous people and other people of color, and the family, friends, and lovers who advocated for access to health care alongside them.
A powerful and empowering listening experience. (Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: April 21, 2026
Duration: 14 hrs, 35 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217172122
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: today
Compelling, emotional, and well researched, this audiobook brings to life the stories of four young people from abolitionist families. Using primary sources to highlight the tumult of the time period leading up to and during the Civil War, the coming-of-age story focuses on Lewis Douglass, son of Frederick Douglass; George Garrison, son of William Lloyd Garrison; Lucy McKim, daughter of Miller McKim; and Charlotte Forten, granddaughter of James Forten. A talented team of narrators-- including the author--do an excellent job of communicating the fear, sadness, determination, and hope of those who were entrenched in the fight against slavery. Listeners will be inspired by this story of family, activism, and legacy.
(Nonfiction. 14-18)Pub Date: June 10, 2025
Duration: 7 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217074419
Publisher: Listening Library
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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