THE WATER DANCER

Joe Morton doesn't just give a stellar performance of Coates's audiobook. He embodies its characters completely, making the listening experience cinematic. In Virginia, before the Civil War, White people are referred to as "Quality," while black people are "the Tasked." Hiram Walker, one of the Tasked, is moved from field labor to a plantation house. Soon after, he is recruited to work the Underground Railroad. Helping to move the Tasked to freedom, Hiram discovers he has the power of "conduction," which enables him to transfer people through time and space. Coates's first novel is steeped in magical realism, yet the parallels to America's past are clear, making this a not-to-miss listening experience. Morton's narration is equally powerful—among the year's best. S.P.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2020 Audies Winner © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2019]