Boyd packs hundreds of years of rich and poignant African-American culture into his history of Detroit. His account gets the proper treatment in the deep voice and deliberate pacing of narrator James Shippy. He commands the prose with such skill that the intention of every sentence is clear through his emphasis and timing. However, Boyd's prose and rich detail can carry on for so long that even Shippy may have trouble keeping the attention of some listeners. The various threads of history that comprise the African-American experience in Detroit get a full account--perhaps too full--through Boyd's in-depth work. At its best, it establishes a rich cultural tapestry within a city that has become both a central hub and a place of alienation for African-Americans.
Pub Date: June 6, 2017
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062669995
Publisher: Harper 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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