Breathe

This short epistolary work from the author of the award-winning biography LOOKING FOR LORRAINE, among other works, is in the vein of Ta-Nehisi Coates's BETWEEN THE WORLD AND ME and James Baldwin's THE FIRE NEXT TIME, but this audiobook stands alone. Perry brings her singular voice to her restrained yet captivating narration. Though the audiobook could have benefitted from a higher production quality--Perry's voice sounds slightly distant, and a page can be heard turning a time or two--this is an audiobook worth listening to. Employing her unique blend of academia, lyricism, sharp intelligence, wit, and a lot of love, this letter from Perry to her sons shines when read aloud by the author herself. The realities of oppression in America, economic and social, are the context we all live in, and Perry dives into this deeply and skillfully, while also bringing a great deal of joy and hope to the page. S.N. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine