Ryan narrates his work of LGBTQ history as it played out in Brooklyn over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Those featured include drag kings, a brothel owner, a black lesbian dancer, a transgender man, and others. Ryan's delivery is engaging and, at times, intimate. Exploring the rich but often unrecognized, or even erased, events of Brooklyn's past, he shows how prominent Brooklyn was in terms of queer history and how much of that dissolved, particularly after WWII. The historical events come across as clear in his prose and accessible in his conversational delivery. When he is tracing the intimate details of people's lives through diaries, letters, other writings, and even interviews, he conveys a bit more emotion and meaning, which will pull listeners in even more.
Pub Date: March 5, 2019
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781982591328
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
This work is an excellent example of the power of the audiobook medium.
The only time most of us read the U.S. Constitution was in high school civics class. This book offers a unique perspective, and the use of two narrators allows listeners to distinguish between the document itself and the commentary on its continuing relevance. Working through the Constitution in sections, veteran narrator Dion Graham reads the actual text, and author Murray delivers her commentary, including incidents and court cases from as recently as late 2025, to illustrate the relevance to our lives today. Both narrators are easy to listen to, and their respective paces are suited to the complexity of the material.
This work is an excellent example of the power of the audiobook medium.Pub Date: May 5, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 43 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668156018
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: tomorrow
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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