HOMELAND ELEGIES

Pulitzer-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar narrates his somewhat autobiographical novel, an outstanding chronicle of an upper-middle- class immigrant Pakistani family's experience in America and an indictment of contemporary American politics and economics. Akhtar narrates from the point of view of the protagonist, the eponymously named Ayad Akhtar, who describes his family's rise to the embodiment of the American dream and subsequent disillusionment with the U.S. in the wake of 9/11 and the election of Donald Trump to the presidency. Akhtar's pacing is comfortable, and his tone confident; he is a natural reader, particularly for his own work. The Pakistani accent he employs for the protagonist's family members adds a realistic and endearing touch that helps to distinguish and personalize the characters. S.E.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2020]