Narrator Janina Edwards perfectly captures the graceful cadence and dignity of a woman in her 90s as she reminisces about her childhood in Depression-era Memphis. She pays tribute to her stepbrother, Robert Johnson, who took her to county fairs and entertained children by singing nursery rhymes and playing guitar. Author Annye Anderson fills in the gaps between Brother Robert, who came to Sunday dinner after playing the juke joints on Saturday nights, and the hugely influential "chased-by-hell-hounds" legendary Delta-blues guitarist whose 1937 recordings are now part of American and pop culture myth. Edwards adopts a righteous tone as the audiobook discusses and humanizes the thorny subject of artistic and cultural appropriation. Anderson's family never owned or profited much from her brother's iconic songs.
Pub Date: June 9, 2020
Duration: 4 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549184604
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
This insightful work of American history is well researched, well written, and very well told.
This audiobook is much more than a biography of two Black celebrities, baseball legend Jackie Robinson and entertainer Paul Robeson. It’s an in-depth look at racism, an intrinsic part of American life in the mid-20th century. Listeners hear the deep, melodious voice of narrator JD Jackson describing Robinson’s successes as well as the discrimination and racial antagonism that dogged his career. Robeson was once a popular football star, actor, and singer, but his advocacy for communism led to his downfall. A key point in this chronicle is Robinson's 1949 appearance at the House Un-American Activities Committee hearings, when he became a symbol of the patriotic Black man, as opposed to Robeson.
This insightful work of American history is well researched, well written, and very well told.Pub Date: Jan. 20, 2026
Duration: 10 hrs, 9 mins
DD ISBN: 9780063308183
Publisher: Harper Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
A sensitive portrait of a gifted musician and songwriter whose life burned bright and fast.
John Pirhalla honors the late Justin Townes Earle with a heartfelt narration of Bernstein’s magnificent biography. An extraordinary songwriter, Earle died at the age of 38 of an accidental overdose, leaving behind a wife and child and a trove of brilliant and original music that will be listened to and performed for years to come. The son of legendary bad boy of country and Americana music Steve Earle, Justin clearly inherited his father’s talent but pined for his attention as a child. Pirhalla’s gentle voice captures Justin’s own with a soft Southern accent.
A sensitive portrait of a gifted musician and songwriter whose life burned bright and fast.Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668654125
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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