Johnny Heller's strong voice lends authority to veteran journalist Rivlin's detailed account of the events and people who shaped--and were shaped by--the nation's response to the destruction of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Rivlin's braided stories begin the day after the flood in 2005 and end with the sentencing of former Mayor Ray Nagin in 2014. It is not an inspiring tale, but there are heroes as well as villains and examples of persistence and wisdom to match the stories of incompetence and corruption. Heller is an accomplished narrator. His performance is as compelling as the forest of details will allow. The aftermath of Katrina is one of the most important American case studies of the twenty-first century.
Pub Date: May 10, 2016
Duration: 15 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781504720168
Publisher: Blackstone 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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