Our Kids

It's quite a feat that Arthur Morey can narrate this somber overview of the declining American dream with the gravitas it demands without overdoing it. Along with sensitivity to the book's tone and accessible phrasing, his performance also embodies the measured perspective necessary for listeners to hear this book as a wake-up call instead of a death knell. Though it focuses on what's wrong, the book balances rigorous research and gripping life stories to show how today's young people lack the social and career opportunities their parents had. Women and minorities have made gains, but being in a lower social class, with all that comes with it, limits educational opportunities, traps kids in their social groups, and locks them into lifeless jobs with no potential. T.W. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine