This important work describes the plight of the millions of Americans living in extreme poverty through the stories of eight families across the Midwest, from Chicago to the Mississippi Delta. The accounts are both shocking and nuanced, illustrating both the burden and the complexity of extreme poverty in the United States today. Allyson Johnson’s strong, matter-of-fact alto voice presents the material clearly. She has taken the time to learn the names, both geographical and personal, that appear in the text. Her dialogue is excellent, making it clear who is speaking without distracting the listener from their stories. The authors are proponents of a new round of welfare reform in the United States and set out their solutions in the audiobook’s last chapter.
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
Duration: 7 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781622319152
Publisher: HighBridge 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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