Hand to Mouth

The title of this short audiobook refers to what it's like being part of the working poor in America. It's not fun. Other people avoid you, or they expect you to act in certain ways, and when you don't, they make unkind assumptions. Linda Tirado reads her own book, and her performance will require listeners to adjust their expectations. She begins by reading 10 miles an hour over the speed limit, zooming through her life which, we learn, is jam-packed and hurried. After a while, she settles into a manageable pace but zips past words and swallows others. Then her tone becomes preachy and angry. When all is said and done, her approach works, but, by the end of the book, the listener is as tired as she is. R.I.G. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine