With minimal emotional inflection, Paul Heitsch narrates this account of the fire that led to the rise of the gay liberation movement. On June 24, 1973, 31 men and one woman perished in an arson fire at The Up Stairs Lounge, a New Orleans bar. It was the worst attack against gays until 2016. Time and again, descriptions of the dead, dying, and burned are juxtaposed with news accounts of the events. At a time when many gays were closeted, the fire affected families and lovers alike. Heitsch tenderly and tirelessly brings the horrendous fire and the sometimes callous attitudes toward gays to life, imbuing his narration with great sensitivity. His performance raises awareness of this turning point in contemporary gay history. Note: Descriptions of the fire, trapped patrons, and survivors' burns are graphic.
Pub Date: June 19, 2018
Duration: 11 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9781684413096
Publisher: HighBridge 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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