ODETTA A Life in Music and Protest

Known as the Queen of Folk during the 1950s-60s, the mononymous singer and guitarist Odetta was also an important Civil Rights activist. A newcomer to audiobook narration, Rosa Howard turns out to be outstanding in her narration of this first full-length biography of an influential but enigmatic figure. Howard is comfortable with Zack’s narrative; she makes his interviews and diligent reporting as engaging as a good conversation. And when she reads direct quotes, she strikes that perilous balance, giving just enough character and accent to the speaker without ever slipping into caricature. Deeply respectful but not naïvely uncritical, this is a well-researched and beautifully read portrait of an artist whose life deserves to be more widely known. D.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award, 2020 Best Audiobook © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2020]