The Shame of the Nation

One of the best chroniclers of American education is at it again, and the message is not encouraging. Fifty years after the Brown decision, urban schools are still segregated, subjected to curricula that ignore teacher creativity, and tested in the same way that more affluent, mostly white suburban schools carry out assessment. Narrator Robertson Dean is magnificent as Kozol's voice. His rumbling baritone conveys the ominous tone inherent in the text, but he also injects a hopeful lightness to his reading when we hear about urban teachers who fight the bureaucracy and effectively teach children. Dean uses exceptional pacing, and he interprets the author's words with authority and passion. R.I.G. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine


Examining the tough and intricate challenges of education, Kozol asks disturbing questions about the quality and equality of schools that have become essentially re-segregated in the 50 years since Brown v. Board of Education. Despite the long, complicated sentences and engaging comments dispersed throughout the book, Harry Chase navigates the text with a relaxed and welcoming tone that encourages one to follow along. Chase's talent lies in his range of tone and energy. His delivery emphasizes Kozel's essential message, and he also provides a wonderful jovial voice when quoting children. Though listeners might identify where the audiobook has been abridged, the performance and essence of Kozol's work still leave a lasting, albeit haunting, impression. L.E. (c) AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine