From a cultural critic, this provocative writing about the uses and abuses of our freedoms is served well by Gabra Zackman's appealing narration. Her pitch-perfect enunciation, astute phrasing, and midrange vocal tone convey respect for the author's intellectual discipline. The "Four Songs of Care and Constraint" in the subtitle refer to how freedom plays out in the realms of art, sex, drugs, and our climate. Though her ideas about freedom in these areas are not explicitly political, Nelson has an uncommon grasp of how our nation is being upended by societal changes and disrupted by the political conflicts between libertarian impulses and the common good. Her nuanced approach to dealing with these issues is hopeful, offering a welcome antidote to the jingoistic rhetoric that polarizes public opinion.
Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021
Duration: 10 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780593459560
Publisher: Random House Audio
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
An absorbing drama.
Reena Dutt takes listeners to Cleveland Heights, where Sam disappears the morning after a fight with her wife, Aliya. Umrigar’s text immerses listeners in both women’s experiences, switching perspectives deliberately. Dutt evinces grief, terror, and rage (alas, often conveyed in clunky figurative language) as Sam and Ali navigate this cataclysm, which is complicated by their status as a mixed-race, queer couple. Dutt’s voice for Ali is grave and deliberate, and for Sam, lighter but still firm. Secondary figures are also carefully characterized; the lead investigator and Ali’s Indian Muslim father are particularly well realized. Dutt’s attention to detail extends to the pronunciation of Ali’s name: correctly South Asian in the mouths of those who know her well, broadened to a nasal “alley” by Americans who don’t.
An absorbing drama.Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668655023
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2026
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