A stirring recognition of communal uplift.
Poet and scholar Bennett narrates his latest, combining memoir, biography, and criticism to celebrate how African American communities protect their children and nurture their excellence. He submits himself as Exhibit A: an early reader and able student whose family and (most) teachers devoted themselves to giving him the tools and opportunities to excel. He twines his own memories with explorations of the youthful experiences of such remarkable talents as Malcolm X, Stevie Wonder, and Gwendolyn Brooks. Both practiced in reciting Scripture from childhood and a slam poet, Bennett is no stranger to the spoken word. Here his delivery is smooth and mostly understated, occasionally rising in formality to greet the poems, both his own and others’, that occasionally punctuate his prose.
A stirring recognition of communal uplift.Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
Duration: 6 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668653494
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: March 10, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2026
The author describes her efforts to implement a meaningful sustainability initiative for Wales and the world at large. An educator and minister of the environment, sustainability, and housing in her tiny country, she's a wonderful narrator who sounds at once relaxed and passionate, likable and dignified. Her voice is a perfect vehicle for amplifying her humanitarian intentions as well as the breadth of her methodical thinking. But what makes this audio so inspiring are the personal asides she shares throughout concerning her willingness to be vulnerable and her calm resolve to do something for the world's future generations. Davidson's descriptions of the laborious process of cultural transformation would have been dry listening without her pleasing UK speaking voice.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2020
Duration: 6 hrs, 45 mins
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Narrator Lisa Flanagan has a wonderful vocal personality--lithe with a broad palette of pitch patterns and a range of believable emotional tones. Her friendly voice works well with this lighthearted overview of how dramatically the Internet has changed the world in the past 30 years. Though being digitally connected has improved life in many ways, the author says we've lost many of the interpersonal experiences that used to sustain us. We have less privacy, don't need all those reference books, and have largely forgotten how to have vocal conversations with other people. The audiobook is entertaining nostalgia for anyone who feels incompetent navigating the World Wide Web, and a soothing reminder that those of us who miss the simplicity of the pre-Internet era are not alone.
Pub Date: Oct. 26, 2021
Duration: 5 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593418055
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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