THE GREAT STAIN Witnessing American Slavery

Rae explores centuries of writings by those personally involved with or impacted by the slave trade, providing a powerful and palpable tapestry of the problems and horrors of slavery. Narrator Steven Crossley's deep, slightly raspy voice and English accent are instilled with a tone that evokes the voice-over of the classic British documentary. While enjoyable, the overwhelmingly consistent voice falls flat in an audiobook that hinges upon giving life to multiple voices. Too often, it's unclear where the large swaths of quoting from original sources such as Solomon Northrup, Frederick Douglass, Reverend Cotton Mather, and Phillis Wheatley have ended and Rae's prose has begun. Using multiple narrators would have made this a more effective experience, helping listeners connect more meaningfully with each person Rae includes. L.E. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2018]