CITIZEN An American Lyric

Narrating this montage of reportage and poetic essays, Allyson Johnson captures every ounce of the pathos and shock contained in the stories of the racial injustice suffered by black athletes such as Serena Williams and others. Johnson’s measured drama and impassioned dialogue interpretations rivet the listener’s attention and awaken sensitivity to the racism that still exists in both public and private arenas. Her memorable performance provides auditory texture and impact for the audiobook. Many of the vignettes describe shocking injustices—malicious oversights and blatantly wrong athletic officiating that can only be described as crimes of fear and hate. The achievement of this audio is how it allows these stories and the author’s powerful perspective to compel more empathy and vigilance about this lingering problem in America. T.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2015]