Civilization has often had an uneasy relationship with one of its greatest inventions--fiction. Shifting between sounding like a favorite professor and the smartest kid in the class, narrator Amy O'Donnell asks why stories, which by their very nature aren't true, are so often considered evil, upsetting, and even pornographic to some parents, preachers, and politicians. And what have critics, school boards, the woke, the far right, and even the CIA been willing to do to influence what we, and especially children, read? Throughout, it is so obvious that the author has a healthy appetite for good literature, pop culture, and everything in-between. These challenging, edgy discussions are entertaining, often personal, and very tasty food for thought.
Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2024
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781666678925
Publisher: Dreamscape
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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