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Children of the Dark
- By: Jonathan Janz
- Narrated by: Matt Godfrey
- Length: 11 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Story
Will Burgess is used to hard knocks. Abandoned by his father, son of a drug-addicted mother, and charged with raising his six-year-old sister, Will has far more to worry about than most high school freshmen. To make matters worse, Mia Samuels, the girl of Will’s dreams, is dating his worst enemy, the most sadistic upperclassman at Shadeland High. Will’s troubles, however, are just beginning. Because one of the nation’s most notorious criminals - the Moonlight Killer - has escaped from prison and is headed straight toward Will’s hometown.
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I never review, but...
- By Zac on 12-19-19
- Children of the Dark
- By: Jonathan Janz
- Narrated by: Matt Godfrey
The story was awesome
Reviewed: 03-09-24
I loved the characters, the incorporation of baseball, and the pacing, especially in the second half of the book. The pacing was relentless.
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I, Too, Sing America
- Three Centuries of African American Poetry
- By: Catherine Clinton
- Narrated by: Ashley Bryan, Renee Joshua-Porter
- Length: 2 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
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Starting with Lucy Terry of the early 18th century and finishing with poet laureate Rita Dove, this inspiring anthology edited by Catherine Clinton captures the enormous talent and passion of black poets. Powerful and diverse, I, Too, Sing America is a forum for voices baring their souls, speaking their minds, tracing their roots, and proclaiming their dreams.
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Rolling over in their graves--
- By Faye on 12-23-17
- I, Too, Sing America
- Three Centuries of African American Poetry
- By: Catherine Clinton
- Narrated by: Ashley Bryan, Renee Joshua-Porter
Rolling over in their graves--
Reviewed: 12-23-17
The entire pantheon of African American poets are rolling over in their graves. Those included in this work who happen to be alive are most likely wishing death. I rarely comment on works of art, especially negative, but these over-the-top, comical, borderline disrespectful spoken renderings of some of the most well-known, well-loved and powerful poetry by African American poets drove me to the keyboard before I have even finished the book. I wanted to do it quickly before some other poor sap fell victim to these performances.
I rarely return books, either, but this one is going back. I would ask that the performers who read these works out loud, or those who directed them, to go back and listen to what they've done, and perhaps familiarize themselves on how to read poetry out loud.
The power in poetry is in the words the authors have painstakingly selected to convey meaning. The power belongs to the meter, the rhyme, the metaphors and other devices that authors have labored over for hours, days, weeks, months and sometimes years. Power is not derived from the voice that happens to be reading it out loud! There is no need for cringe-worthy shouting, elongated annunciations, and almost sobbing, slobbering phrasing. There is no reason to read Claude McKay's "White House" as if you suddenly remembered that you had to go to the bathroom while you were walking across hot coals! Did Churchill read it that way? I haven't heard him, and will go look it up, but I don't think so! Dunbar's "We Wear the Mask" needs nothing but a sober, thoughtful reading. Let the words and the art speak for themselves. And finally, there is no reason to elongate the word "soar" as if you are singing, and raise your voice to ear splitting levels. You say "soar" calmly with a little emphasis, maybe, and believe it or not, we can imagine soaring.
If I could give this book less than 1 star for performance, well, you know the rest...
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2 people found this helpful