Mira Jacob's graphic memoir is thoughtfully adapted to audio with members of a full cast narrating each voice. They create a sense of intimacy as listeners eavesdrop on a lifetime of conversations about race, racism, and colorism. Mira Jacob's voice reflects exasperation as she faces impossible questions from her young son, who is portrayed with curiosity by Kivlighan de Montebello. She recounts unsuccessful conversations about race with her Indian parents, depicted by Vikas Adam and Soneela Nankani with a mix of compassion and a lack of concern. Contemporary conversations with her white Jewish husband, portrayed by Oliver Wyman, highlight challenges in their marriage and relationships with his parents. The shock of racism after 9/11 and the 2016 election, as well as Jacob's fear of raising her son in a dangerous world, is palpable in her very personal narration.
Pub Date: March 26, 2019
Duration: 2 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9780593105511
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Shute’s empathetic narration proves she’s just the right fit for this audiobook.
Shakira Shute brilliantly performs cartoonist Correll’s often all-encompassing anxiety in this graphic memoir. Listeners are presented with the hypervigilant thoughts that consume Correll in a way that’s both humorous and relatable. In a British accent, Shute effectively channels the author’s signature wit as well as her deeply personal struggles, helping listeners to understand Correll’s panic disorder. Even as it’s an honest look at what it’s like to have severe anxiety coupled with depression, Anxietyland is an entertaining, playful, and inviting listen that offers comfort to anyone familiar with an anxious internal world.
Shute’s empathetic narration proves she’s just the right fit for this audiobook.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Duration: 3 hrs, 28 mins
DD ISBN: 9781668105825
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2026
Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell narrates this audio adaptation of his graphic memoir with assists from his son (portraying himself) and two professional actors. Between them, Brittany Bradford and William DeMerrit realize dozens of fully individuated characters: Bell's younger self, along with his parents (an interracial couple), childhood friends, teachers, college classmates, professional colleagues, and even cops and schoolyard bullies. Complemented by thoughtful sound design, they deliver tour-de-force performances that bring to life Bell's dialogue and reveal the critical interactions that formed his identity as a biracial Black man in America. Sadly, Bell's own voice--a little nasal, largely without affect, and untrained in vocal arts--makes for a thin accompaniment. Nonetheless, the power of his story will carry listeners along.
Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2024
Duration: 3 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781250381248
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
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