Narrator Leonie Elliott skillfully transports listeners to Harlem with an impressive story that contrasts the changes in Black life in the early twentieth century. In 1936, as jazz singer Lena Aldrich sails from England to New York, she encounters shipboard musician William Goodman. She gratefully accepts his offer to stay with his family as she searches for information about her late father, Alfie. In flashbacks, Elliott superbly portrays Alfie, a pianist who encounters racial barriers as he pursues a musical career in 1908. Lena's perceptions of the city, her new friends, and the truths about Alfie are well rendered. Dramatic depictions of the Harlem Renaissance, rent parties, and the Apollo Club are engaging. Audio enhances a story replete with lively dialogue, descriptions, and atmosphere.
Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2023
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593684504
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Emerson and Peabody are at it again! Uncovering antiquities takes a back-seat as the romantic archaeologists track down the master criminal who is stealing Egypt's ancient treasures. With the help of their precocious son, Ramses, the intrepid pair unravel this mystery in crowded bazaars, desert camps and the heart of the Black Pyramid. Barbara Rosenblat's reading fully measures up to the tale. She is a master of timing and nuance. Rosenblat's power for character interpretation has grown with each book in this amusing series. This is the best one yet.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 12 hrs
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Nishii captures the living environment of LA and the danger that lives just under the surface.
Brian Nishii's performance captures the essence of a Japanese immigrant, newly arrived in southern California in the early 1900s. Ryui establishes his new life in Pasadena only to get swept up into an art theft investigation, all while experiencing anti-Japanese attacks firsthand. Throughout, Nishii embodies fully the main character's struggle to adapt to this new world, learning about the culture and conflict embedded into life as a native Japanese in the social, cultural, and political environment at the turn of the 20th century. Nishii moves effortlessly among the various accents that make up the Los Angeles of the period.
Nishii captures the living environment of LA and the danger that lives just under the surface.Pub Date: Feb. 17, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9798899745720
Publisher: Recorded Books Inc.
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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