The Collected Essays of Ralph Ellison

African-American writer Ralph Ellison was a powerful literary voice who helped Americans understand how race and social class shaped their identities in modern society. Narrators Dominic Hoffman and Arthur Morey work together to give texture to this collection of Ellison's essays. Delivering the preface, Morey brings an academic formality that helps set the tone for the dense prose and searing questions that follow. Hoffman picks up the pace in the soul-searching essays themselves. His rich baritone highlights the historical details behind each essay. He provides the context that makes each entry relevant to the collection and also to listeners, in particular those who may be listening to Ellison's work for the first time. Hoffman's style is easy on the ears, which gives a neutral backdrop to a sensitive subject. M.R. � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine