Narrator Grover Gardner portrays Pittsburgh reporter Ray Sprigle, who, having darkened his skin by sunburn, became a black man to tour the South in 1948, showing his readers black lives under Jim Crow laws in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi. Sprigle isn't remembered today, but his writing helped start a national discussion on race that continues today. Bill Steigerwald adds background on the era and the discussion. Gardner's narration is clear and crisp, keeping the focus on Sprigle's experience. Visits with sharecroppers, reports on shootings by police and streetcar operators in Atlanta, and everyday indignities draw listeners into Sprigle's fascinating, horrifying journey. Listeners may well share his relief when he leaves Mississippi and when he finally crosses the "Smith & Wesson line" into Ohio.
Pub Date: July 4, 2017
Duration: 12 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781538431955
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Carol Matthau epitomizes a glamour and lifestyle not associated with the 1990's. Here is a life of privilege, tragedy and worry about what friends would think of her new frock or lover. Matthau possesses a voice and delivery that simply could not be improved on. In her coy whisper, she tells compelling stories involving everyone from William Saroyan (husband #1) and Truman Capote to Carson McCullers, Gloria Vanderbilt, and Walter Matthau (husband #2). This excellent audio presentation will leave you wanting to read the entire book to discover what juicy tidbits were left out.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: The Publishing Mills
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
As America celebrates its semiquincentennial, it’s enlightening to look back at how the country celebrated its...
The Great Centennial Exhibition was designed to celebrate a century of U.S. history and progress and to make a statement that the country was a technological and diplomatic world leader as the globe looked toward the 20th century. Author Bordewich frames his chronicle of the exhibition by focusing on four key figures—President Rutherford B. Hayes; Alexander Graham Bell; railroad magnate Tom Scott, who spearheaded the fair; and sculptor Edmonia Lewis, whose work broke racial and gender barriers. Narrator Sean Patrick Hopkins’ conversational tone perfectly suits the material. He adds a bit of lilt for humorous and ironic passages. His pace makes it easy to follow the material, and the author’s writing style adapts well to audio.
As America celebrates its semiquincentennial, it’s enlightening to look back at how the country celebrated its centennial.Pub Date: June 9, 2026
Duration: 8 hrs, 12 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217340187
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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