Essays of emotional depth and astutely communicated intellectual insight come to listeners almost entirely in the voices of the writers themselves. Familiar cultural commentators like Korean-American Alexander Chee, Haitian immigrant Jim St. Germain, and Pakistani-American Fatimah Ashgar are joined here by those who may be less well known: Eritrean-American hiker Rahawa Haile, Nigerian immigrant and literature professor Chigozie Obioma, and French-Algerian film director Yann Demange among them. Each essay reveals both American attitudes toward the world and the writer's personal experiences with moving between cultures. Pacing varies widely among the authors as they share their own work aloud, and some speak with accents that may strike ears attuned to American English as thick. However, part of the high value of this audiobook is the direct experience it provides with these voices.
Pub Date: Oct. 29, 2019
Duration: 10 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549196911
Publisher: Hachette 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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