Dominic Hoffman delivers an excellent narration of this superlative audiobook about two noteworthy high school sports teams. His cadence and tone are exactly right as he captures the excitement of East High School's 1968-69 basketball and baseball seasons, when the all-black Columbus, Ohio, athletes won two state championships. The audiobook also reflects on the civil rights activity of the period and its meaning to students, teachers, and administrators. Author Wil Haygood's text masterfully explores this momentous period. Sport is used as a metaphor for the growing sense of black pride that took root in the late sixties. The fates of individuals--Jack Gibbs, the visionary principal, and Bob Hart, the extraordinary basketball coach--and how the players and community members were affected by the tumultuous era are insightfully re-created.
Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
Duration: 16 hrs
DD ISBN: 9780525642572
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
Guthrie elevates a well-researched book, making it interesting for anyone who wants to understand the arc of this team.
Those who follow soccer know that the U.S. men’s team has undergone a massive evolution in a relatively short time. Schaerlaeckens details how the team went from underwhelming to competing on the international stage. He not only dives into overall team improvements but also recounts the paths of some of the American players over the years. Jimmy Guthrie narrates with a clear voice, never imitating particular individuals but staying emotionally involved. His narration reflects a respect for the game and for those who play it, keeping the listener absorbed.
Guthrie elevates a well-researched book, making it interesting for anyone who wants to understand the arc of this team.Pub Date: May 12, 2026
Duration: 11 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217281862
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
Dugard charts the course, and Godfrey hits a personal best.
Dugard explores the origins of the marathon, from the legend of Pheidippides and the race’s peculiar length to the 1970s and '80s athletes who made marathons cool. Now, competing in a marathon is on every casual runner’s bucket list. Matt Godfrey takes the author’s accessible style and runs with it. His timing, liveliness, and wry tones bring Dugard’s multiple threads to life. The decade is jammed full of stories—Steve Prefontaine getting pipped for the bronze medal at the 1972 Olympics, Joan Benoit winning the first women’s Olympic marathon, the book by Jim Fixx that inspired sedentary people to take up jogging, and even the author finding his community when he discovered running as an 11-year-old.
Dugard charts the course, and Godfrey hits a personal best.Pub Date: April 14, 2026
Duration: 9 hrs, 33 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217285556
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: today
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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