George Chauncey's seminal history of gay male culture in New York City from 1890-1940, originally published on the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, makes its audiobook debut. Narrator Graham Halstead's well-modulated performance is a perfect fit for Chauncey's accessible scholarship. Misconceptions regarding the character of pre-WWII gay identity and community are dispelled, revealing social complexities and internal dynamics. Listeners traverse 1890s resorts, Harlem drag balls, and the Greenwich Village club scene, as well as street life and residences. Individual remembrances are denoted by Halstead through a slight change in pitch and energy. Chauncey contextualizes the evolution of social mores through multiple lenses, including race, socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and gender. This solid production is accompanied by a pdf identifying referenced material.
Pub Date: May 21, 2019
Duration: 18 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549148323
Publisher: Hachette 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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